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19980507045069A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Avalon, CA · May 7, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 7, 1998 · 12:00 local
Place
Avalon, CA
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N6514E
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA152
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Reported engine
Lycoming O320H2AD
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
4
Pilot’s flight hours
115 total
N6514ERegistration cancelled Feb 9, 2000 · Cessna 172NS/N 17272027Airframe modelCessna 172N

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.19)On may 7, 1998, about 1200 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6514E, was destroyed after colliding with mountainous terrain about 3 miles southwest of Avalon, California. The pilot and three passengers all received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. On the morning of the accident the pilot had received a preflight weather briefing from torrance, California, to catalina island and return. According to the catalina UNICOM radio operator, the aircraft landed about 1030 and departed about 1130 to 1200. The aircraft was located by the U.S. Coast guard responding to an emergency locator beacon (ELT) signal. (.4) the private pilot and his three passengers were on a personal trip to an island off the California coastline. After departure the pilot prceeded to explore the distant side of the scenic island. The aircraft wreckage was located at the confluence of two narrowing box canyons in a near inverted attitude on the 40-degree mountain side of the island. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found with the aircraft during the investigation.

As the FAA filed it

(.19)ON MAY 7, 1998, ABOUT 1200 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N6514E, WAS DESTROYED AFTER COLLIDING WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AVALON, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ALL RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING FROM TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, TO CATALINA ISLAND AND RETURN. ACCORDING TO THE CATALINA UNICOM RADIO OPERATOR, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ABOUT 1030 AND DEPARTED ABOUT 1130 TO 1200. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR BEACON (ELT) SIGNAL. (.4) THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A PERSONAL TRIP TO AN ISLAND OFF THE CALIFORNIA COASTLINE. AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT PRCEEDED TO EXPLORE THE DISTANT SIDE OF THE SCENIC ISLAND. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE CONFLUENCE OF TWO NARROWING BOX CANYONS IN A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE ON THE 40-DEGREE MOUNTAIN SIDE OF THE ISLAND. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98FA152Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportAvalon, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance in a Blind/Box Canyon. A related factor was the mountainous/hilly terrain.May 7, 1998 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6514E · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19790831033769ILevel Off Touchdown · Three Lakes, WIRan off end of runway after overshooting landing.Aug 31, 1979 · Minor damage