# Accident 19990119000619A: Cessna 182P, Danville, CA, January 19, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 19, 1999, 19:33 local time
- Place: Danville, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: AVGA
- Location: 37.8105° N, 121.9699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8105&lon=-121.9699&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8579M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8579M-2000-04-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182P (registry code 2075816, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P
- Reported engine: CONT O470S
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 3,700 total, 245 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990119000619A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 LAX99FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA078), Jan 20, 1999: Cessna 182P (N8579M), Danville, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's disregard for the preflight weather briefing, and his intentional continuation into adverse weather conditions.

## Other reports on N8579M (1)

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

- [Accident 19890920035619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890920035619A), Sep 20, 1989: Cessna 182P (N8579M), Zenia, CA, Substantial damage. Ground looped into fence at end of runway to avoid overrun. Flap limit switch allowed flaps to jam in up position.

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.

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