Cessna 182P accident near La Mirada, California, December 19, 2004
On December 19, 2004 at about 5:48 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N9187G, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Mirada, California (Fullerton Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude/clearance from a transmission tower while on an extended base leg of the traffic pattern. A factor in the accident was the sun glare condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2004 · about 5:48 pm local time
- Place
- La Mirada, California · Fullerton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9187G · no longer on the register · serial 18263383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a radio transmission tower while on an extended base leg of the traffic pattern at the Fullerton airport in day visual meteorological conditions. The pilot made contact with the control tower, indicating his position, and that he had the current ATIS information. The controller cleared the airplane for a left base entry to the runway. When the airplane was about 3 miles north of the airport the controller cleared the airplane to land. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted the radio transmission tower about 15 feet below the top. A review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that he had been to the airport at least four times prior to the accident flight. At the time of the accident, the sun was about 27 degrees above the horizon and about 20 degrees horizontally from the pilot's flight path. The transmission tower stood about 760 feet above ground level (agl), and was depicted on both the applicable Terminal Area Chart and in the Airport/ Facility Directory. The airport's traffic pattern altitude was 1,100 feet mean sea level (msl) or 1,004 feet agl. Historically, the airport property was used as an aircraft landing field starting in 1913, and has been continuously operated as an airport. The radio tower, located 1.77 nautical miles from the airport, was constructed in 1948. The setting of the altimeter found in the wreckage was in error and the altimeter would have displayed an altitude that was 50 feet higher than the airplane was in actuality.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 188 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,901.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FUL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N9187G 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.