Accident Details
A Cessna 182 aircraft crashed on the northwest side of Pikes Peak at an elevation of approximately 10,300 feet. The initial impact occurred with 75-foot-tall trees on a magnetic heading of 080 degrees. No preimpact failure or malfunction was found during the subsequent investigation.
The purpose of the flight was to qualify one of the pilots to fly search missions over mountainous terrain. Such flights included maneuvering at low altitude, but not below 500 feet above ground level.
Environmental Conditions
A pilot in the vicinity of the accident site reported moderate turbulence and updrafts and downdrafts of 2,000 feet per minute.
Pilot Information
The pilot being qualified had only one previous flight in the Cessna 182, totaling 2.4 hours on January 22, 1984, and had logged no flight time since that date.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage was found on the northwest slope of Pikes Peak. The aircraft struck trees approximately 75 feet tall before impacting the terrain. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure or system malfunction prior to impact.