- Date
- February 15, 1987, 09:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Newhall, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N52184Cessna 180J
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870215002709A
- Case key
- 25380
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
Based on available evidence, it is believed that the accident occurred between 0700 and 0830 hrs during a period of low ceilings and restricted visibilities in the area where the accd took place. The accd site is located in a mountain pass area between two valleys. The dept point, time, route of flt, and dest of the flt are unk. A white powdery substance, later identified as methamphetimine, was found widely distributed throughout the cabin area and the sorrounding ground at the accd site. Exam of the wreckage indicated that the acft collided with the 46 degree slope of the mountain in a high speed descent at an angle of abt 45 degrees nose down. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified during the investigation. The acft had not had an annual inspection in two years and the last documented bfr for the plt was in August of 1983. The results of the toxicological tests were negative for alcohol and all drug substances.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52184
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052542
- Airframe hours
- 1,287
- Engine
- Continental O-470-S, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Francis C. Bernadic
- Registered owner
- Bernadic, Francis C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,110 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY, 8 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.