Cessna 182 accident near San Diego, California, September 27, 2017
On September 27, 2017 at about 9:35 am local time, a 1971 Cessna 182, registered N9346G, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near San Diego, California (Brown Field Muni). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological, dark night conditions and the pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2017 · about 9:35 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Brown Field Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 P, built 1971 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N9346G · no longer on the register · serial 18260886
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he took off in dark night conditions and was using flight following. When he arrived at the destination airport, he activated the runway lights while entering the downwind leg. While on final approach, the runway lights suddenly turned off, so he aborted the landing. The pilot again activated the runway lights on the downwind leg, but this time he flew a short base leg to final. The airplane was at a lower altitude for the approach and suddenly entered a heavy band of fog. The left wing subsequently hit the soft dirt, cartwheeled, and then came to rest inverted about 1/4 mile short of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The weather conditions reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were calm wind, visibility 4 statute miles, moderate mist, clouds scattered 100 ft, temperature 15°C, dew point 15°C, and an altimeter setting 29.24 inches of mercury. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident /Incident Report Form 6120.1.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during landing
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 796 hours in all; 754 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 4, 2016
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPM Compton CA
- Destination: SDM San Diego CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 9:32 am from KSDM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 24, 2018. 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 Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | 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.