# Accident 20010527016479A: Cessna 177RG, Pauma Valley, CA, May 27, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 27, 2001, 14:30 local time - Place: Pauma Valley, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.2994° N, 116.9201° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2994&lon=-116.9201&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8287G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8287G-2001-07-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 177RG (registry code 2073709, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (registry code 41593, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177RG - Reported engine: LYC IO360A1B6 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,400 total, 4,800 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA193) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010527016479A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MAY 27, 2001, AT 1535 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 177RG, N8287G, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING APPROACH TO THE PAUMA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED BORREGO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AT 1500, AND WAS DESTINED FOR PAUMA VALLEY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DESCENDING IN VISUAL FLIGHT RULES CONDITIONS, AND WAS ON THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND LEG FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 29 AT THE PAUMA VALLEY AIRPORT. HE (INTENTIONALLY) FLEW INTO THE TOP OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN ISOLATED, "PUFFY" CLOUD, EXPECTING TO BE IN THE CLOUD ONLY BRIEFLY AND TO SEE THE RUNWAY AGAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE CLOUD WAS MORE EXPANSIVE THAN HE ANTICIPATED AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN THE CLOUD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL THE PILOT SAW VEGETATION ON A MOUNTAINSIDE A SHORT DISTANCE IN FRONT OF THEM. THE PILOT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED UPSLOPING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. (-23) ON MAY 27, 2001, AT 1535 PACIFIC TIME, A CESSNA 177RG, N8287G, EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE ON APPROACH TO PAUMA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THEY WERE ON A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM BORREGO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA (DEPARTURE 1500) TO PAUMA VALLEY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WAS IN EFFECT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET WITHIN 4 MILES OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT SCENE, AIRCRAFT HAD TO BE AIRLIFTED OUT SEVERAL DAYS LATER. (.4) ON MAY 27, 2001, AT 1430 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 177RG, N8287G, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING APPROACH TO THE PAUMA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED BORREGO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AT 1345, AND WAS DESTINED FOR PAUMA VALLEY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DESCENDIN G IN VISUAL FLIGHT RULES CONDITIONS, AND WAS ON THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND LEG FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 29 AT THE PAUMA VALLEY AIRPORT. HE INTENTIONALLY FLEW INTO THE TOP OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN ISOLATED, "PUFFY" CLOUD, EXPECTING TO BE IN THE CLOUD ONLY BRIEFLY AND TO SEE THE RUNWAY AGAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE CLOUD WAS MORE EXPANSIVE THAN HE ANTICIPATED AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN THE CLOUD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL THE PILOT SAW VEGETATION ON A MOUNTAINSIDE A SHORT DISTANCE IN FRONT OF THEM. THE PILOT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED UPSLOPING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND SLID TO A STOP THROUGH HEAVY SAGEBRUSH. ## 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 LAX01LA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA193), May 27, 2001: Cessna 177RG (N8287G), Pauma Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain clearance from terrain during an approach for landing under visual flight rules. 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.