2012 Cessna 182D Terrain Collision Near Bondurant, Wyoming (N61LN)

Accident Overview and Flight History On November 17, 2012, at approximately 1345 Mountain Standard Time, a Cessna 182D, registration N61LN, collided with terrain south of Bondurant, Wyoming. The aircraft was destroyed, and the sole occupant, a private pilot, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was a personal cross-country operation under 14 CFR Part 91, originating from Stevensville, Montana, at 1130 with an intended destination of Pinedale, Wyoming. No flight plan was filed. The pilot's family contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the evening of November 17 after the pilot failed to arrive at his destination, prompting an Alert Notification (ALNOT). Search and rescue operations involving the Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, and local law enforcement began immediately. Aerial units located the wreckage on the afternoon of November 24, 2012. The aircraft impacted mountainous terrain approximately 35 miles west of the intended destination. The debris path measured about 133 feet in length, oriented on a magnetic heading of 200 degrees, at an elevation of approximately 10,150 feet. All major structural components were recovered within the debris path. FAA personnel indicated the flight's purpose was to return the aircraft to the pilot's home airport following maintenance in Stevensville. The pilot's family reported he was traveling to care for a ranch after his son and daughter-in-law departed on a prolonged trip.