# Accident 19980507045069A: Cessna 172N, Avalon, CA, May 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 7, 1998, 12:00 local time
- Place: Avalon, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3806° N, 118.4501° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3806&lon=-118.4501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6514E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6514E-2000-02-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 115 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA152) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980507045069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98FA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA152), May 7, 1998: Cessna 172N (N6514E), Avalon, CA, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance in a Blind/Box Canyon. A related factor was the mountainous/hilly terrain.

## Other reports on N6514E (1)

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

- [Incident 19790831033769I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790831033769I), Aug 31, 1979: Cessna 172N (N6514E), Three Lakes, WI, Minor damage. Ran off end of runway after overshooting landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.