Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Mt. Shasta, California, June 18, 2005
On June 18, 2005 at about 8:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4506J, was destroyed in an accident near Mt. Shasta, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued cruise flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot's controlled flight into high mountainous terrain (CFIT).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2005 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Shasta, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4506J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30361
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in controlled flight, the airplane collided into rising, high mountainous terrain (CFIT) at the 11,850-foot mean sea level (msl) of Mt. Shasta, about 2,400 feet below the summit. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity. Prior to departure, the pilot had received a weather briefing, and the weather conditions were essentially as forecasted. The cloud bases were between 7,000 and 8,000 feet msl, and the tops extended to 16,000 feet. The upper portion of Mt. Shasta was obscured by the clouds. As evidenced by the airplane's recorded radar track, after departure the pilot climbed to a cruise altitude of 11,500 feet. The pilot had a handheld GPS navigation system, the airplane was equipped with an autopilot, and he was familiar with the flight route. The flight track shown by the recorded radar data was consistent with a direct route between his departure and destination airports, and directly to the accident site. The accident site is in an extremely hazardous avalanche zone on the mountain and neither search and rescue climbers nor Safety Board investigators were able to reach the wreckage. Detailed aerial photographs were taken of the wreckage and reviewed. All aerodynamic surfaces were present at the site. Review of photographs showing the top and bottom surfaces of the airplane revealed no evidence of fire or engine oil leakage.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,905.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WLW Willows CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from SIY, 26 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.