Cessna 182G accident near Big Bear City, California, August 21, 2004
On August 21, 2004 at about 1:14 am local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N2059R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's mistaken selection of an airport road as the landing runway. Factors in the accident were the nonstandard markings on the temporary landing surface and the glare from the setting sun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2004 · about 1:14 am local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2059R · no longer on the register · serial 18255259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane struck a bush and the airplane came to rest inverted after the pilot inadvertently landed on an airport road. While turning the base leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot listened to the UNICOM, which advised that the main runway was closed due to construction and to land on the taxiway located left of the runway. The pilot's visibility was restricted due to glare from the setting sun. As the pilot turned onto final, he could see neither a taxiway, nor a yellow stripe taxiway marking. He mistakenly touched down on an airport road, located approximately 10 feet left of the temporary runway. Upon touchdown the pilot realized his error and instantly began a go-around; however, the airplane's left wing struck a bush and the airplane came to rest inverted.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all; 5,380 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 10, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,902 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 2003; 172 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O26 Lone Pine CA
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,780 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
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.