Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wellington, Nevada 89444
Sunday, April 14, 2013 20:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 14, 2013, about 2050 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 182D, N9078X, impacted mountainous terrain near Wellington, Nevada. The airplane was owned by a private party, and operated by the pilot as a cross-country flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire. The cross-country personal flight departed North Las Vegas, Nevada, about 1800, with a planned destination of Minden, Nevada. Visual night meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the family of the pilot contacted the FAA on April 15, 2013, after they became concerned when the pilot had not arrived at his intended destination. The FAA issued a family concerned Alert Notification (ALNOT). The Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, and local law enforcement, commenced search and rescue operations throughout the area of the pilot's intended flight path. The wreckage was located by aerial units on the morning of April 18, 2013. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain approximately 18 nautical miles southeast of the flight's intended destination. The wreckage was located on the southeast slope approximately 200 feet below the top of the ridgeline, at an elevation of about 8,570 feet mean sea level (msl). All major structural components of the airplane were located within the debris field. The airplane was recovered on April 24, 2013, for further examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2050
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Wellington
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89444
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384740N
Event Location Longitude 1192839W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID CXP
Elevation of weather observation facility 4705
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Carson City- METAR KCXP 141555Z AUTO 08014KT 10SM
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 26 2013 3:45PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9078X
NTSB Number WPR13FA201
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18253478
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TUELLER PAUL T
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89508-8542
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Cory P. Marble
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Reno
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 89503
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VGT
Departure City North Las Vegas
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MEV
Destination City Minden
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 26 2013 3:37PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --