Cessna 152 accident near Clearlake Oaks, California, June 22, 2016
On June 22, 2016 at about 4:30 am local time, a 1979 Cessna 152, registered N67889, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Clearlake Oaks, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's deviation from his original flight plan, which resulted in becoming lost in mountainous terrain at night, fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a collision with power lines during a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2016 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Clearlake Oaks, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 NO SERIES, built 1979 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N67889 · no longer on the register · serial 15282078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight school reported that the private pilot submitted a night visual flight rules flight plan for authorization by the school, and then intentionally flew a route for which he had not received proper mountain flying endorsements from the flight school. During the night cross country flight, the pilot reported that he did not refuel at any of his stopover airports and became lost over mountainous terrain. The pilot further reported he attempted unsuccessfully to contact air traffic control, but after 4.3 hours of flight the fuel was exhausted and the engine lost power. After the loss of power, he reported that he glided towards a winery and impacted power lines, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Course deviation during enroute
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 114 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,854.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,676 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 6,360 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CXP Carson City NV at 2:20 am
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from KUKI, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 26, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.