20041031028419A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 182Q · Lebec, CA · October 31, 2004

Date: October 31, 2004 · 11:30 local
Place: Lebec, CA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N95902
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05FA023
Reported as: Cessna 182Q
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Pilot’s flight hours: 400 total

N95902Registration cancelled Aug 1, 2012 · Cessna 182QS/N 18266673 · Built 1978 Airframe modelCessna 182Q Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Pilot and passengers departed VFR from wm. J. fox airfield (wjf) with the planned destination of harris ranch (3O8) which was also reporting VMC. Mountains along the route of flight were however at least partially obscured in stratus clouds. After maneuvering for several minutes in the general vicinity, the aircraft struck a tree and then a steep hillside with the engine producing power. No weather briefing had been requested nor had a flight plan been filed with riverside afss.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT AND PASSENGERS DEPARTED VFR FROM WM. J. FOX AIRFIELD (WJF) WITH THE PLANNED DESTINATION OF HARRIS RANCH (3O8) WHICH WAS ALSO REPORTING VMC. MOUNTAINS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WERE HOWEVER AT LEAST PARTIALLY OBSCURED IN STRATUS CLOUDS. AFTER MANEUVERING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES IN THE GENERAL VICINITY, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE AND THEN A STEEP HILLSIDE WITH THE ENGINE PRODUCING POWER. NO WEATHER BRIEFING HAD BEEN REQUESTED NOR HAD A FLIGHT PLAN BEEN FILED WITH RIVERSIDE AFSS.

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 LAX05FA023Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportLebec, CAthe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision by his VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were mountainous terrain, low ceilings, and turbulence.Oct 31, 2004 · Destroyed