Cessna 182R N5545N

Summary

On 25 November 1988 at about 23:20 local time, a Cessna 182R registered N5545N was involved in an accident near Gorman, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 November 1988 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Gorman, California, United States

Coordinates

34.8599, -118.8699

Aircraft

Cessna 182R

Registration

N5545N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chino → Bakersfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA058

2 people died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.