Cessna R182 N2257T

Summary

On 9 November 1989 at about 03:05 local time, a Cessna R182 registered N2257T, operated by Robie E. Ratliff, was involved in an accident near San Diego, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 1989 at 03:05

Classification

Accident

Location

San Diego, California, United States

Coordinates

32.5502, -117.0408

Aircraft

Cessna R182

Registration

N2257T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robie E. Ratliff

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Van Nuys → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX90FA027

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS IN THE ACIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A NIGHT SPECIAL VFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT WHEN HE WAS NOT NIGHT CURRENT. HE DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE PILOT OBTAINED THREE WEATHER REPORTS FOR THE AIRPORT, WHILE EN ROUTE. THESE ESTABLISHED THAT CONDITIONS WERE IFR WITH VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 2 MILES IN FOG. THE PILOT ACCEPTED THE SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE AND REPORTED INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE REPORTED OVER A PRISON, WHICH WAS 4 MILES NORTH EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PRISONERS SAID THE AIRCRAFT ORBITED ONE OF THE GUARD TOWERS TWO OR THREE TIMES, THEN DEPARTED TO THE NORTH WEST. THE OFFICIAL VISIBILITY REPORTED BY THE ATCT WAS ONE MILE IN FOG; WITNESSES AT THE PRISON STATED THE GROUND VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN A MILE WITH AREAS OF HEAVY FOG. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A DESCENT MEASURED AT 11 DEGREES WITH A RIGHT WING DOWN ABOUT 20 DEGREES. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.