- Date
- November 25, 1988, 15:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Gorman, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5545NCessna 182R
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881125052219A
- Case key
- 26194
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The aircraft entered into an uncontrolled descent. The existence of a mountain wave along the aircraft's flight route, the failure of the crew to evaluate reported weather conditions along the flight route, the crews attempt to fly into known adverse weather conditions, and the over confidence of the crew in the aircraft's ability were factors in the accident.
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
After receiving a full weather briefing that reported standing lenticular clouds and gusty surface winds along the proposed flight route, the instrument rated private pilot and an instructor pilot tookoff on a personal instrument flight over mountainous terrain. As the aircraft began its descent for landing the crew reported they had entered an uncontrolled descent. Shortly thereafter, communications with the aircraft were lost, the aircraft's radar target disappeared and an ELT radio signals were detected. Ground search parties initiated a search and the wreckage was located ten hours later.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5545N
- Reported as
- Cessna 182R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18267783
- Airframe hours
- 1,230
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jean R. Paquette
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 20, 1988 · 118 hours before
- Departed
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Destination
- BFL · Bakersfield, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 808 total · 163 in this make and model · 576 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 36 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.
Other investigations on N5545N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.