Cessna 182T accident near Armistead, California, May 7, 2026
On May 7, 2026 at about 5:55 pm local time, a 2006 Cessna 182T, registered N227TF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Armistead, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2026 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Armistead, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T, built 2006 · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N227TF · registry record · serial 18281826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 7, 2026, about 1055 pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 182T airplane, N227TF, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Armistead, California. The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the flight school, Top Flight Aviation, the flight instructor, who was presumably seated in the right seat, and the pilot receiving instruction, who was presumably seated in the left seat, had planned to fly from the Corona Municipal Airport (AJO), Corona, California to the Inyokern Airport (IYK), Inyokern, California, then return to AJO before continuing on to Las Vegas, Nevada for an overnight stay. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot receiving instruction to build technically advanced aircraft (TAA) time in pursuit of a commercial pilot certificate. They had planned to accumulate 10 hours of TAA flight time over the course of two days. Figure 1 ADS-B Flight Path According to archived automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS B) data from OpsVue, FlightAware, and the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane departed Inyokern Airport (IYK) about 1047. Data shows the airplane traveled southwest towards the El Paso Mountains for about 7 minutes before turning to fly up a steep, narrow canyon. The final available data point was located about a half mile northwest of the accident site at 1054. The altitude of the airplane at this data point was 3425 ft. The wreckage was located about 3771 ft in elevation on the side of a steep, rocky canyon about 1000 ft in width. Figure 2 Image of accident site (NTSB Photo) The aircraft impacted the rock-covered hillside in a left-wing-low flight attitude. All four corners of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The outboard portion of the left wing was bent upward and aft from impact damage. A large rock was embedded in the lower leading edge of the left wing, just inboard of the deformation. The fuselage, empennage, and inboard right wing were consumed by a post-impact fire. The wreckage came to rest with the engine facing downhill on a northeast heading of 028°. The engine and burned remnants of cockpit were inverted and facing downhill. The propeller assembly was still attached to the engine. One propeller blade came detached from the hub during impact and was found about 30 feet north-northwest of the main wreckage site. Additional small pieces of debris were strewn along a path to the north-northwest of the main wreckage. The wreckage has been recovered to a secure facility for further examination.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Top Flight Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: IYK Inyokern CA at 5:47 pm
- Destination: AJO Corona CA
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from KNID, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KNID 071756Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/02 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP146 T02830017 10283 20117 58012 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.