Cessna 150E accident near Anaheim Hills, California, November 8, 2002
On November 8, 2002 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N6236T, was destroyed in an accident near Anaheim Hills, California. 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 continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from power lines. A contributing factor was the pilot's impairment by medication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2002 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anaheim Hills, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N6236T · no longer on the register · serial 15060936
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was traversing a pass through the coastal hills during a dark night flight under an overcast when it collided with power lines crossing a freeway. The transmission lines were approximately 150 feet above ground level (agl), at an estimated ground elevation of 450 feet above mean sea level (msl). A witness in a car on the freeway that was generally perpendicular to the power lines observed an aircraft pass over him on the left side of the freeway. He then saw several flashes of light. He noted that it was a very dark night and hazy. He saw a ceiling that was definitely above the aircraft, but could not tell if the ceiling was above the surrounding mountaintops. The aircraft was definitely below the level of the mountaintops. There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather brief from a flight service station or Direct User Access System (DUATS). The pilot did not file a flight plan. Based on weather reports from the witness, the nearest reporting stations, and the destination airport, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site with cloud bases around 200 to 300 feet agl and visibilities less than 2 miles in light rain and mist. The toxicology report noted the finding of multiple over-the-counter substances, including diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative and impairing effects. The levels reported for the substances were consistent with recent use. The FAA does not regulate the use of any specific prescription or over-the-counter medications by pilots, though the FAR's do state that (Sec. 91.17): "No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety."
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,740 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,562 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 Temecula CA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:28 pm from CNO, 8 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.
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.