- Date
- March 12, 1989, 13:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Watsonville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N42005Cessna 182L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890312003649A
- Case key
- 26348
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 pilot's improperly planned approach, and his failure to maintain clearance from the wind sock pole. The proximity of the wind sock (arpt facility) was considered to be a related factor.
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
While on final approach to land, the airplane collided with a wind sock pole. The pilot lost control of the airplane and it collided with the terrain. There was no reported preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42005
- Reported as
- Cessna 182L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18258803
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell, Frank E.
- Registered owner
- Russell, Frank E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- Private Airstrip
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
- 82
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Flight hours
- 330 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRY, 23 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.