Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ojai, California 93023
Monday, May 13, 1985 15:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ENTER A BOX CANYON IN LEVEL FLT AT AN ALT BELOW THE TOPS OF THE SURROUNDING RIDGES. THE ENG PWR SOUNDS WERE REPORTED AS 'NORMAL' BY THE WITNESSES. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A RIDGE, THE WITNESSES SAW BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE CANYON FLOOR. THE AREA OF THE CANYON WERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IS RELATIVELY NARROW, WITH STEEP SIDES AND A FLOOR WHICH RISES ABRUPTLY TO THE MOUNTAINS BEHIND. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED NOSE DOWN IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS FOR THE PLT TO EXAMINE THE WATER DRAINAGE IN THE CANYON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City OJAI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93023
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1449 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID OXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2656
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30231
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17239
NTSB Number LAX85FA253
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177B
Aircraft Series Identifier 177B
Aircraft Serial Number 17702523
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 6 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 1450
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OYRES CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3191
Operator City CAMARILLO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93011
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 CMA
Departure City CAMARILLO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --