Cessna 172D N2598U

Summary

On 26 February 1996 at about 20:20 local time, a Cessna 172D registered N2598U was involved in an accident near Julian, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 February 1996 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Julian, California, United States

Coordinates

33.0208, -116.4904

Aircraft

Cessna 172D

Registration

N2598U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bullhead City → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA121

3 people died.

the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. The pilot's inadequate preflight/preparation, low clouds, fog, and mountain obscuration were factors in the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument rated pilot departed VFR. Instrument meteorological conditions were forecasted over the mountainous area near the destination airport. The pilot did not contact any FAA air traffic or FSS along the route of flight. The forecasted winds aloft show that the pilot would encounter between 40 and 50 knots headwind. Two AIRMETS for the accident area were issued by the National Weather Service. One AIRMET shows that the mountain ranges would be obscured with low clouds and fog; the other AIRMET reported moderate turbulence in the area. Radar data showed an airplane proceeding along the pilot's estimated route of flight. The last target was observed about 10 miles west of the crash site. The airplane crashed in a near vertical nose and right wing down attitude while in a right turn spin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.