Cessna 170B accident near Ramona, CA
On October 2, 1994, a Cessna 170B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ramona, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 2, 1994
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.071°N, 116.829°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X02462
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 1, 1994, at 2208 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N170CT, was destroyed when it crashed at Ramona, California. The aircraft was jointly owned and operated by the pilot and was on a solo cross-country flight to Gillespie Field. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from the Ramona airport at 2205 on the night of the accident. A witness reported that the pilot departed Ramona airport on runway 27, making a left turn after climbing several hundred feet. The witness stated that she lost visual contact with the aircraft's position lights after the aircraft initiated its left turn. Other witnesses on the ground reported hearing the aircraft flying overhead. Engine sounds were reported until the time of impact. Witnesses also reported that the aircraft sounded to be lower than the 1,000-foot traffic pattern altitude established for the Ramona airport. The aircraft crashed in an open area approximately 1 1/2 miles southwest from the airport on a final heading of 240 degrees. The wreckage was distributed over a 225-foot area. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot's third-class medical certificate had been expired 11 months at the time of the accident. No one who knew the pilot could offer an explanation as to why he had not obtained a current medical certificate. The latest biennial flight review (BFR) in the pilot's logbook was dated August 5, 1992. One of the aircraft's coowners, who is also a CFI, stated that he remembered giving the pilot a BFR on February 21, 1994, but beca
Probable cause
the noninstrument-rated pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation after encountering instrument meteorological conditions after the pilot decided to takeoff in adverse weather conditions. A factor in the accident was the dark nighttime lighting conditions and the pilot's lack of recent experience.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
