Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182Q near Carlsbad, NM — 2021-11-19

Final reportWPR22FA043
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Date
2021-11-19
Location
Carlsbad, NM, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 182Q
Registration
N91AZ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain separation from an FM tower guy wire while on an aerial survey flight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an oil and pipeline aerial observation flight. The airplane maneuvered and skirted around a Frequency Modulation (FM) tower to the south and continued a left turn to the northwest, clearing the tower, as the pilot resumed his pipeline observation. The tower’s height, as depicted on a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sectional chart, was 715 ft above the ground (agl) and was lit for nighttime operations. Shortly after, the airplane maneuvered to the southwest towards the same tower and the airplane struck a guy wire about 500 ft agl. The airplane impacted terrain and a postcrash fire ensued. A postaccident examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was likely headed towards the local airport and did not see the tower guy lines.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided the tower by altering flight path earlier.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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