What happened
On April 13, 2025, at approximately 08:50 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182L, registration N182VE, was involved in an accident near Erie, Nevada. The flight originated from Henderson Executive Airport (HND) in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a personal scenic flight.
After departing at approximately 08:30, the pilot climbed to 3,500 feet MSL and established cruise settings of 2,300 rpm and 23 inches of manifold pressure. Upon reaching a position roughly 3 miles southwest of HND, the pilot attempted to climb to 4,500 feet MSL by increasing engine and propeller settings to 2,500 rpm and 25 inches of manifold pressure. However, the aircraft failed to climb, began to lose airspeed, and was unable to maintain altitude.
The pilot subsequently initiated an emergency landing on a road adjacent to Interstate 15. While performing the landing, the pilot observed oncoming traffic and maneuvered the aircraft into a ditch. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot and two passengers were not injured, though one passenger sustained minor injuries.