- Date
- March 19, 1990, 06:48 local (14:48 UTC)
- Place
- Buena Park, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2985ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900319004799A
- Case key
- 26621
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 not maintaining the prescribed minimum descent altitude during an instrument approach.
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
For over one year the instrument-rated pilot regularly flew himself to work between his santa barbara home and his business office near the santa ana airport (sna). Upon approaching sna the pilot made an ILS approach, followed by a missed approach. He climbed to 2,500 feet and diverted to the fullerton airport (ful). The pilot was cleared for a VOR approach and radar service was terminated at the faf. The pilot descended on the prescribed track toward ful but failed to arrest his descent at the mda, collided with power lines and terrain 1.9 statute miles before the airport. The 65-YR-OLD pilot's medical certificate had expired. The pilot had a recent history of hypertension, and at autopsy evdiecne was found of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2985E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271395
- Airframe hours
- 2,780
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Nevitt, Dale M.
- Registered owner
- Dale M & Patricia L Nevitt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 1989
- Departed
- SBA · Santa Barbara, CA
- Destination
- FUL · Fullerton, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FUL · Fullerton Municipal
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,278 total · 400 in this make and model · 845 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FUL, 2 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.