- Date
- June 5, 1982, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Meiners Oaks, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N19659Cessna 172L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820605021099A
- Case key
- 71656
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Witnesses in a remote canyon reported an aircraft making low passes in that area. They last saw the plane going up the canyon. Later, the aircraft was located on a wall of the same canyon. Tests of the pilot's blood showed an alcohol level of .279 percent. The coroner estimated that about .150 percent of the alcohol level was due to action of bacteria. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N19659
- Reported as
- Cessna 172L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17260644
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James Russell
- Registered owner
- Augustus W. Whisnand
- Departed
- C · Oxnard, CA
- Destination
- Unknown
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 149 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.