- Date
- May 13, 1985, 15:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Ojai, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N17239Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850513016359A
- Case key
- 24509
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 observed the acft enter a box canyon in level flt at an alt below the tops of the surrounding ridges. The eng pwr sounds were reported as 'normal' by the witnesses. Shortly after the acft disappeared behind a ridge, the witnesses saw black smoke rising from the canyon floor. The area of the canyon were the accident occurred is relatively narrow, with steep sides and a floor which rises abruptly to the mountains behind. Examination of the accident site revealed that the acft impacted nose down in a near vertical descent. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified during the wreckage examination. The purpose of the flt was for the plt to examine the water drainage in the canyon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17239
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17702523
- Airframe hours
- 1,450
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Oyres Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 6, 1985 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 25 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OXR, 24 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.