Cessna TR182 N2415S
9 February 1991 · Petaluma, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 9 February 1991 at about 04:55 local time, a Cessna TR182 registered N2415S, operated by Del Monte Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Petaluma, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Petaluma, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Petaluma Muni (069)
- Coordinates
- 38.2097, -122.7593
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182
- Registration
- N2415S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Del Monte Aviation, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sonoma → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- LAX91FA093
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT BECOMING DISORIENTED IN THE DARK, NIGHTTIME, INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND TO THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE FLYING IN SUCH CONDITIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE 158 HOUR TOTAL TIME PRIVATE PILOT PLANNED AN 18 NM NIGHT TIME FLIGHT TO VISIT A FRIEND. THE PILOT HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE FLYING ON INSTRUMENTS, HAVING ONLY 2.6 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLYING TIME. ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS DARK. THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WAS SHROUDED IN GROUND FOG AND LOW LEVEL CLOUDS EXISTED NEARBY. THE SKY WAS OBSCURED. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY AND PROBABLY ATTEMPTED TO LAND. THE PILOT ABORTED HIS ATTEMPT, OVERFLEW THE RUNWAY'S END AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE GAINED 150 TO 200 FEET ALTITUDE AND ENTERED THE BASE OF CLOUDS, ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE THEN LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE AIRPLANE REAPPEARED, AND IT WAS DESCENDING AT ABOUT AN 80 DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 1600 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna TR182 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 1991 | Cessna TR182 | Green River, Utah, United States | JAY B. Sorenson | No injuries | - |
| 15 Apr 1991 | Cessna TR182 | Jackson, Michigan, United States | Sky View Flyers, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 1990 | Cessna TR182 | San Anderas, California, United States | Taggert, Scott T. | Minor injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 1992 | Cessna TR182 | Joliet, Illinois, United States | Travel Express Aviation, Ltd | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Jun 1992 | Cessna TR182 | Baker, Oregon, United States | Phillips, Barbara A. | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Sep 1990 | Cessna TR182 | Everett, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1991 | Cessna C-172P | Hesperia, California, United States | South Bay Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Cessna 172N | Napa, California, United States | Bridgeford Flying SVC. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft 76 | Sacramento, California, United States | Altair Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | Ayres S2R | Visalia, California, United States | Gilbert Aviation Industries | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Cessna 421C | Auburn, California, United States | Edward Mueller | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Champion 7GCBC | Lake Elsinore, California, United States | Halbeisen, John F | Fatal | 2 |