Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Ysabel, California 92070
Sunday, February 18, 1990 21:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER RECEIVING NUMEROUS WEATHER BRIEFINGS THAT RECOMMENDED VISUAL FLIGHT NOT BE CONDUCTED ALONG HIS PROPOSED FLIGHT ROUTE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE PILOT FILED HIS FLIGHT PLAN UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) AND TOOKOFF INTO THE NIGHT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON A MOUNTAIN AT THE 3,300 FOOT LEVEL, APPROXIMATELY 11 HOURS AFTER THE TAKEOFF AND 15 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. LOW CEILINGS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WERE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA YSABEL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92070
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2345 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 247
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1568
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42839
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1510M
NTSB Number LAX90LA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier 182P
Aircraft Serial Number 18264358
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFERY F. PALMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 8922
Aircraft Owner City RANCHO SANTA FE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L08
Departure City BORREGO SPRINGS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2038
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRQ
Destination City CARLSBAD
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --