20220618020899A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 336 · Porterville, CA · June 18, 2022

Date: June 18, 2022 · 14:55 local
Place: Porterville, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3835U
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR22FA216
Reported as: Cessna 336
Reported engine: Continental IO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 450 total

N3835URegistered now · Cessna 336S/N 336-0135 Airframe modelCessna 336 Engine modelContinental IO-360 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.

On June 18, 2022, at approximately 1455 PDT, the subject aircraft departed Porterville municipal airport (kptv) enroute to shafter airport-minter field (kmit). The aircraft was observed turning around and heading back towards the ptv airport when it suddenly nose-dived and impacted the surface under unknown circumstances. The eyewitness observed the aircraft flying straight and level when it suddenly headed towards the surface at a 45-degree downward angle. It did not appear to the witness that the pilot made any attempt to level off. A post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft and the sole occupant onboard the aircraft was found deceased.

As the FAA filed it

ON JUNE 18, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 1455 PDT, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PORTERVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KPTV) ENROUTE TO SHAFTER AIRPORT-MINTER FIELD (KMIT). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TURNING AROUND AND HEADING BACK TOWARDS THE PTV AIRPORT WHEN IT SUDDENLY NOSE-DIVED AND IMPACTED THE SURFACE UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE EYEWITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL WHEN IT SUDDENLY HEADED TOWARDS THE SURFACE AT A 45-DEGREE DOWNWARD ANGLE. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO THE WITNESS THAT THE PILOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO LEVEL OFF. A POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND DECEASED.

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 WPR22FA216Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportPorterville, CAMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the elevator control assembly hardware, which resulted in an in-flight disconnection of the elevator and elevator counterweight and the pilot’s inability to maintain pitch control.Jun 18, 2022 · Destroyed