Cessna T337H accident near Buena Park, California, January 5, 2002
On January 5, 2002 at about 8:59 pm local time, a Cessna T337H, registered N1348L, was destroyed in an accident near Buena Park, California (Fullerton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing approach. Factors included the pilot's distraction when informed that his landing gear was not down, and his impairment from the effects of prescription drugs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2002 · about 8:59 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Park, California · Fullerton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T337H · all T337Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1348L · registry record · serial 33701840
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain while turning from base to final for landing. The pilot contacted the air traffic control tower approximately 20 miles from the airport. The controller cleared the pilot into the traffic pattern, and shortly thereafter, cleared the airplane to land. The turn to base was early, and the airplane remained high during the base leg and the turn to final. The controller informed the pilot that the landing gear did not appear to be down, and then the airplane rolled to the right. A pilot witness observed the right wing drop 70-80 degrees and the airplane enter a sharp right turn through 180 degrees of rotation. The nose started dropping and after 360 degrees of turn, the nose was down about 70 degrees. to a vertical nose down attitude. After 360 degrees of turn, the nose was down about 70 degrees. In a post accident examination, investigators discovered no preimpact engine or control malfunctions with the airplane. Review of the pilot's personal medical records indicated that he had routinely used a prescription sleep aid (triazolam) and two prescription medications (codeine and butalbital) for the treatment of severe headaches. The pilot noted none of these medications on his applications for a medical certificate. A postmortem toxicological examination of the pilot detected the presence of these medicationscodeine and butalbital, consistent with recent use. Barbiturates (the class of medications which include butalbital) have been shown in many studies to impair judgment and performance; impairment that does not always correlate with subjective effects. They have an effect on the inner ear, and may increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation. Studies have shown residual adverse effects of triazolam on piloting related skills in the morning following its use. Codeine, a narcotic painkiller, has been shown to have mild impairing effects on performance at typical doses.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,821.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FUL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1348L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.