Cessna 180D accident near Santa Paula, CA
On July 4, 2011, a Cessna 180D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Santa Paula, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 4, 2011
- Place
- Santa Paula, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.326°N, 119.081°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110704X30339
Official records · WPR11FA304
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 3, 2011, about 2021 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180D, N6451X, was substantially damaged when it struck a telephone line that spanned across the Santa Clara River, about 1.8 miles south-southwest of the Santa Paula Airport (SZP), Santa Paula, California. The commercial pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Dusk visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from SZP about 2000. A witness, who was a rated pilot, reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he was located at SZP, and observed the airplane during a portion of the accident flight. The witness stated that the accident pilot initiated the flight by performing a short field takeoff and performed two circuits around the traffic pattern. During the third takeoff, the airplane turned left, overflew the south side of the airport, and proceeded toward the Santa Clara River at an approximate altitude of about 100 feet above ground level (agl). The witness further stated that the airplane did not gain additional altitude, and that he lost sight of the airplane while it was flying in a westerly direction over the river. During the entire time the witness observed the airplane, its engine sounded normal. A witness standing on a hillside about 450 feet south-southeast of the accident site reported to the NTSB IIC that he heard the airplane's engin
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a telephone line while flying at a low altitude in dusk lighting conditions.
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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.
