# NTSB LAX95LA108: Cessna 182Q, N4875N, San Francisco, CA, February 12, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 12, 1995, 09:54 local (17:54 UTC)
- Place: San Francisco, CA
- Coordinates: 37.789463, -122.46083 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7895&lon=-122.4608&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 29033
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA108
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29033/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA108

## Probable cause

an inflight collision with water for undetermined reasons.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, unknown
  - terrain condition - water
  - reason for occurrence undetermined

## Analysis

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE OCEAN ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNDER UNDETERMINED CIRCUMSTANCES. THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM A LOCAL FBO AND TOOK TWO PASSENGERS ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT AND NEVER RETURNED. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PERSONNEL AT A BEACH NORTHWEST OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. THE REMAINS OF ONE OF THE THREE OCCUPANTS WAS LOCATED AND PULLED FROM THE WATER SEVERAL DAYS LATER. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE'S WRECKAGE AT THE TIME OF THE FILING OF THIS REPORT. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT.

## Factual narrative

On February 12, 1995, about 0954 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182Q, N4875N, collided with the ocean in the Gulf of the Farallones, about 5 miles west of San Francisco, California. The airplane was operated by San Carlos Flight Center, and rented by the pilot for a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.  The airplane is missing and presumed to be destroyed by impact with the water and salt water immersion.  The certificated private pilot and one passenger are missing and presumed to have received fatal injuries.  One passenger was fatally injured and found floating in the water several days after the accident.  The flight originated at 0932 hours from San Carlos, California.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The U.S. Park Police, San Francisco Field Office, Presido Public Safety, recovered the right main landing gear wheel assembly from the missing airplane.  The wheel assembly was found by a citizen on the Fort Cronkite Beach, about 5 miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The pilot's automobile driver's license and a credit card were found on a Marin County Beach, Marin, California.  The items were taken to the Wells Fargo Bank, Mill Valley, California, by two unidentified women.  The Marin County Sheriff is investigating, and as of the date of this report, no further information concerning the identity of the women or the exact name of the beach has been obtained.

There has been no further recovery of the airplane's wreckage at the time of the filing of this report.  The circumstances surrounding the airplane's collision with the water are undetermined.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4875N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4875N-1997-12-24), registration cancelled 1997-12-24, S/N 18267428 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182Q
- Registry model: [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (registry code 2072732) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 67428
- Airframe hours: 2066
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-U 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: Unknown
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: San Carlos Flight Center
- Registered owner: Dallas, Diane
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 12, 1995, 12 hours before
- Departed: SQL, SAN CARLOS, CA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 210 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: SQL, 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19950212002089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950212002089A), Feb 12, 1995: Cessna 182Q, San Francisco, CA, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Collided with bay waters west of San Francisco. Some wreckage and papers found on beach. No witnesses. One body.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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