Cessna P210N accident near Lebec, California, February 11, 2005
On February 11, 2005 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N432AR, was destroyed in an accident near Lebec, California. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's in-flight loss of control due to the flight's encounter with unforecasted localized mountain wave activity with severe to potentially extreme turbulence, downdrafts, and rotors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2005 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Lebec, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N432AR · no longer on the register · serial P21000098
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instrument cross-country flight at night, the pilot encountered a mountain wave with severe turbulence at 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) and entered an uncontrolled descent to impact with mountainous terrain at an elevation of 2,300 feet msl. The flight was level at 9,000 feet crossing a mountainous area when the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) controllers that he was encountering light rime icing conditions. Shortly thereafter, the controller observed the aircraft descending and the pilot asked for a lower altitude. The controller said the flight was already at the minimum altitude that could be assigned. The pilot responded that he was in extreme turbulence. The aircraft then dropped off radar and no further radio transmissions were received. The Area Forecast valid for the flight was predicting multiple layers of broken to overcast ceilings from 6,000 to 12,000 feet, with a freezing level at 10,000 feet. AIRMETS were in effect for mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence, and moderate rime or mixed icing conditions, though the conditions were forecast at elevations above the pilot's planned en route altitude. No SIGMETS were in effect for turbulence. No record was found that the pilot obtained a preflight or in-flight weather briefing from any official aviation weather source. An analysis of the weather conditions found increasing wind velocities from the surface to 7,000 feet over the mountains crossing the airplane's flight path, with several layers of strong vertical wind shear that increased the likelihood of very strong turbulence. In addition, the conditions were favorable for localized mountain wave activity, and supported the potential for moderate to severe turbulence, rotors, and downdrafts to 1,500 feet per minute. An automated weather observation station in the mountains very near the accident site was reporting wind gusts to 45 knots, 10 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot of a Gulfstream G-IV that was descending near the accident location reported encountering strong turbulence with both vertical and lateral components.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,850 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,852.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2004; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-P7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA at 3:35 am
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 060° at 18 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 am from SDB, 14 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.
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.