- Date
- December 9, 1982, 08:38 local (16:38 UTC)
- Place
- Near Palm Sprin, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1218VCessna 551
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 9, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821209068219I
- Case key
- 71909
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
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
Shortly after takeoff and climbout, the autopilot malfunctioned after the aircraft entered an overcast and encountered rain and turbulence. The pilot returned to bermuda dunes, CA. After landing he had the electrical, avionics and auto pilot systems checked. All items were operational. The pilot prepared to takeoff again, but failed to turn on the standby gyro which was battery powered. After departing, he again encountered rain and turbulence in IFR conditions (at about 9500 ft). At about that time ATC advised his transponder was not providing a return. He switched transponders, but ATC still received no return. Severe turbulence was encountered, the auto pilot disengaged, and the copilot's gyros tumbled. He turned on the standby gyro which needed time to be used. A high speed descent was entered inadvertently and the airspeed warning horn activated. The pilot activated the speed brakes and made a sharp pull-up during the recovery. He then returned and landed. Wrinkles were found on the leading edges of the wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1218V
- Reported as
- Cessna 551
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0431
- Airframe hours
- 81
- Engine
- P & W JT-15D-4, 2,500 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Ernest Walter Hahn
- Registered owner
- Ernest Walter Hahn
- Departed
- UDD · Bermuda Dunes, CA
- Destination
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 8,200 total · 430 in this make and model · 7,830 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 106 °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.