# NTSB LAX78FA074: Cessna 320, N5205X, Santa Barbara, CA, July 13, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: July 13, 1976
- Place: Santa Barbara, CA · SANTA BARBARA, CA
- Location: 34.4036° N, 119.7137° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Santa Barbara, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4036&lon=-119.7137&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 17, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201338
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX78FA074
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX78FA074-201338

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4177  76/7/13  NR.SANTA BARBARA,CA   CESSNA 320          CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 51, 850
        TIME - UNK/NR                  N5205X              PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 45 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
         SANTA BARBARA,CA            UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           UNDETERMINED                                             UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS - UNDETERMINED
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  2000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          4 MILES OR LESS                                          NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES
          FOG                                                      230
        WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS                                      TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
           4                                                       UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- PARTS OF ACFT RCVRD IN 600FT OF WATER 7/20/77 & 11/15/77.INJURY INDEX PRESUMED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5205X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5205X-1978-01-06), registration cancelled 1978-01-06, S/N 3200105 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 320
- Registry model: [Cessna 320](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320) (registry code 2074502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19760713042639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760713042639A), Jul 13, 1976: Cessna 320, CA, Destroyed

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.

---
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.