- Date
- August 20, 2004, 18:14 local (Aug 21, 2004, 01:14 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2059RCessna 182G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviaiton Administration
- FAA report
- 20040820021779A
- Case key
- 59968
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's mistaken selection of an airport road as the landing runway. Factors in the accident were the nonstandard markings on the temporary landing surface and the glare from the setting sun.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane struck a bush and the airplane came to rest inverted after the pilot inadvertently landed on an airport road. While turning the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot listened to the UNICOM, which advised that the main runway was closed due to construction and to land on the taxiway located left of the runway. The pilot's visibility was restricted due to glare from the setting sun. As the pilot turned onto final, he could see neither a taxiway, nor a yellow stripe taxiway marking. He mistakenly touched down on an airport road, located approximately 10 feet left of the temporary runway. Upon touchdown the pilot realized his error and instantly began a go-around; however, the airplane's left wing struck a bush and the airplane came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On August 20, 2004, at 1814 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182G, N2059R, inadvertently landed on an airport road at the Big Bear City Airport, Big Bear City, California. The airplane came to rest inverted after the left wing collided with a bush. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed from the Lone Pine Airport, Lone Pine, California, and was destined for Big Bear. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, Big Bear UNICOM advised him that the runway was under construction. They instructed him to use the taxiway for landing. As the airplane touched down, the pilot realized something was wrong and that he had inadvertently landed on a road. He applied full power to go around, and the left wing collided with a bush. The airplane came to rest inverted.
The pilot was aware of the runway closure prior to his departure, but he had not landed there since the construction began. The taxiway was marked with a black line, not a yellow line to which the pilot was accustomed. An airport road runs parallel to the taxiway at Big Bear, and the pilot inadvertently landed on it. Due to the lack of yellow markings on the taxiway, the pilot felt it was confusing. The airport road was marked with faded, white strips down its center.
The pilot stated that he was looking into a setting sun, and his forward visibility was almost zero.
A notice to airman (NOTAM) for the runway closure stated the following:
Ral 07/040 L35 8/26 clsd/s parl twy tempo 8/26 3780X75 avbl day/
No TGL/26 toda 3780 lda 2500/8 toda 3780 lda 3480
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2059R
- Reported as
- Cessna 182G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18255259
- Airframe hours
- 6,902
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Trueman K. Peek
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 8, 2003 · 172 hours before
- Departed
- O26 · Lone Pine, CA
- Destination
- L35 · Big Bear City, CA
- Airport
- L35 · Big Bear City, runway 8, 3,780 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 10, 2004
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,300 total · 5,380 in this make and model · 6,300 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 102 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- PSP, 31 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.