Cessna 172N N2985E

Summary

On 19 March 1990 at about 14:48 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N2985E, operated by Nevitt, Dale M., was involved in an accident near Buena Park, 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.

Date

19 March 1990 at 14:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Buena Park, California, United States

Nearest airport

Fullerton Municipal (FUL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N2985E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nevitt, Dale M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Barbara → Fullerton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA123

1 person died.

THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING THE PRESCRIBED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

FOR OVER ONE YEAR THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT REGULARLY FLEW HIMSELF TO WORK BETWEEN HIS SANTA BARBARA HOME AND HIS BUSINESS OFFICE NEAR THE SANTA ANA AIRPORT (SNA). UPON APPROACHING SNA THE PILOT MADE AN ILS APPROACH, FOLLOWED BY A MISSED APPROACH. HE CLIMBED TO 2,500 FEET AND DIVERTED TO THE FULLERTON AIRPORT (FUL). THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A VOR APPROACH AND RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AT THE FAF. THE PILOT DESCENDED ON THE PRESCRIBED TRACK TOWARD FUL BUT FAILED TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AT THE MDA, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND TERRAIN 1.9 STATUTE MILES BEFORE THE AIRPORT. THE 65-YR-OLD PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. THE PILOT HAD A RECENT HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, AND AT AUTOPSY EVDIECNE WAS FOUND OF HYPERTENSIVE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.