Cessna 182R N5514N

Summary

On 20 February 1993 at about 23:37 local time, a Cessna 182R registered N5514N, operated by Steven F. Gossard, was involved in an accident near Warner Springs, California, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 February 1993 at 23:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Warner Springs, California, United States

Coordinates

33.2808, -116.6005

Aircraft

Cessna 182R

Registration

N5514N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Steven F. Gossard

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Calexico → Burbank

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA129

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS WHICH CONTAINED AN ADVISORY OF A CURRENT AIRMET AND SIGMET. THE SIGMET FORECAST OCCASIONALLY SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000 FEET, WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL DUE TO A STRONG LOW LEVEL WESTERLY AIR FLOW. THE AIRMET ADVISED THAT MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AND MODERATE TURBULENCE WERE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE AREA BELOW 15,000 FEET. IN ADDITION, A PILOT REPORT WAS PASSED ALONG TO THE PILOT FROM A BOEING 737 WHICH HAD ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED ALONG A ROUTE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 8,000 FEET. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT, WHICH THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT COUNTER DESPITE APPLYING FULL POWER AND MAINTAINING BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE DOWN DRAFT AT TIMES SHOWED A DESCENT RATE OF 1,500 FEET PER MINUTE ON THE VSI. THE FLIGHT ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 6,000 FEET, AND, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, COLLIDED WITH TREES AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT THE 5,500 FOOT LEVEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.