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2008 Cessna 182 Crash Near Basalt, Colorado (N71276)

Basalt, CO, United States

On November 11, 2008, a CESSNA 182M (registration N71276) was involved in an aviation accident near Basalt, CO. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane in flight. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A Cessna 182, N71276, crashed into rugged terrain near Basalt, Colorado, on November 11, 2008, killing the sole occupant. The aircraft was found in the Holy Cross Wilderness in July 2009.

Accident Overview and Discovery Details On November 11, 2008, at approximately 1530 Mountain Standard Time, a single-engine Cessna 182, registration N71276, was destroyed after impacting terrain near Basalt, Colorado. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a filed flight plan. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and was the subject of an ALNOT (alert notice) for a missing airplane. The wreckage was located on November 12, 2008, within the rugged terrain of the Holy Cross Wilderness area. Due to the remote location and winter snow conditions, the aircraft was not recovered until July 2009. The planned 260-nautical mile cross-country flight originated from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) in Denver, Colorado, with Carbon County Regional Airport (PUC) in Price, Utah, as the intended destination.

Contributing factors

Decision related to conditionPilot
Loss of control in flight

Related events

Same aircraft family

  • 20 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 182P
  • 12 Jul 2026 — CESSNA 182
  • 20 Jun 2026 — CESSNA 182S (Sundowners Inc.)
  • 19 Jun 2026 — CESSNA 182Q (Charles Kinard)
  • 11 Jun 2026 — CESSNA 182 (Beta Flight LLC)
  • 28 May 2026 — CESSNA 182
  • 28 May 2026 — CESSNA 182
  • 20 May 2026 — CESSNA 182P
  • 11 May 2026 — CESSNA 182P
  • 7 May 2026 — CESSNA 182T (Top Flight Aviation INC)
  • 4 May 2026 — CESSNA 182
  • 3 May 2026 — CESSNA 182

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 11 Nov 2008 CESSNA 182M accident near Basalt, CO?

A Cessna 182, N71276, crashed into rugged terrain near Basalt, Colorado, on November 11, 2008, killing the sole occupant. The aircraft was found in the Holy Cross Wilderness in July 2009.

Were there any fatalities in the 11 Nov 2008 CESSNA 182M accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 1 fatality.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 11 Nov 2008 involved a CESSNA 182M, registration N71276, at Basalt, CO.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The non-instrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane in flight.

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