What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On January 19, 1999, about 1935 hours PST time, a Cessna 182P, N8579M, collided with terrain during cruise flight near livermore, California. T he airplane, owned and operated by comstock air services of sacramento, California, was destroyed during the impact sequence. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane had departed livermore and was en route to sacramento on a 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight when the accident occurred. The pilot departed livermore at 1923. He had flown cancelled checks to the livermore airport under 14 CFR part 135 on the previous leg of this trip. Shortly after the accident timeframe, the weather began to deteriorate. At 0814, livermore was reporting 2-1/2 miles visibility with heavy rain, 2,900 broken, 5,000 overcast temperature, 54 degrees fahrenheit, dew point 54 degrees, and altimeter 29.96 in hg. A deputy with the contra costa county sheriff's office told safety board investigators that he had responded to an alarm call at 1900. The location of the alarm call was in the blackhawk/alamo area. The deputy said that it was "pouring down rain" between 1830 and 1900. He stated it continued to rain heavily all night. A li eutenant who was called out to work the missing aircraft case stated that traditionally, the area of the crash gets "socked in" due to the terrain. She stated that there are huge differences in the temperature up in the hills which causes the weather to close in. (-23)N8975M departed livermore airport at 1923 local, for return flight to sacramento executive airport. At approximately 1933, local the aircraft struck a hill side in Danville, CA, killing the pilot. He was the only one on board.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JANUARY 19, 1999, ABOUT 1935 HOURS PST TIME, A CESSNA 182P, N8579M, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA. T HE AIRPLANE, OWNED AND OPERATED BY COMSTOCK AIR SERVICES OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, WAS DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED LIVERMORE AND WAS EN ROUTE TO SACRAMENTO ON A 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT DEPARTED LIVERMORE AT 1923. HE HAD FLOWN CANCELLED CHECKS TO THE LIVERMORE AIRPORT UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 ON THE PREVIOUS LEG OF THIS TRIP. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT TIMEFRAME, THE WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. AT 0814, LIVERMORE WAS REPORTING 2-1/2 MILES VISIBILITY WITH HEAVY RAIN, 2,900 BROKEN, 5,000 OVERCAST TEMPERATURE, 54 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, DEW POINT 54 DEGREES, AND ALTIMETER 29.96 IN HG. A DEPUTY WITH THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOLD SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE HAD RESPONDED TO AN ALARM CALL AT 1900. THE LOCATION OF THE ALARM CALL WAS IN THE BLACKHAWK/ALAMO AREA. THE DEPUTY SAID THAT IT WAS "POURING DOWN RAIN" BETWEEN 1830 AND 1900. HE STATED IT CONTINUED TO RAIN HEAVILY ALL NIGHT. A LI EUTENANT WHO WAS CALLED OUT TO WORK THE MISSING AIRCRAFT CASE STATED THAT TRADITIONALLY, THE AREA OF THE CRASH GETS "SOCKED IN" DUE TO THE TERRAIN. SHE STATED THAT THERE ARE HUGE DIFFERENCES IN THE TEMPERATURE UP IN THE HILLS WHICH CAUSES THE WEATHER TO CLOSE IN. (-23)N8975M DEPARTED LIVERMORE AIRPORT AT 1923 LOCAL, FOR RETURN FLIGHT TO SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1933, LOCAL THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HILL SIDE IN DANVILLE, CA, KILLING THE PILOT. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8579M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.