Cessna 337G accident near Mojave, California, June 26, 2005
On June 26, 2005 at about 10:11 pm local time, a Cessna 337G, registered N3BZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mojave, California (Mojave Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's encounter with a downdraft or wind shear during takeoff the initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2005 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- Mojave, California · Mojave Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337G · all 337Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3BZ · registry record · serial 33701637
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a light post, a hotel, and terrain shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported that the ground roll and liftoff seemed normal. He reported retracting the landing gear and flaps while at a 300-foot/minute climb at 90 miles/hour. He said the flight encountered a downdraft shortly after that during the takeoff initial climb at around 200 to 300 feet above ground level. When the flight encountered the reported downdraft, the engine instruments indicated that both the front and rear engines were producing 24 inches of manifold pressure and 2,500 rpm. The pilot said he was unable to arrest the descent prior to colliding with the hotel and light post. Post-accident examination of the aircraft and engines provided no evidence of a malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation of the engines. Review of the closest weather facility's recorded weather data (located 17 nautical miles away) revealed the flight had a likely headwind of 11 knots and a computed density altitude of 4,903 feet. The calculated performance data revealed that the airplane should have been able to climb about a rate of 850 feet/minute with both engines operative and at normal climb speed of 109 miles/hour.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-360-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-360-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MHV Mohave CA at 10:09 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 7,050 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 85 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from EDW, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.