Cessna 140 accident near Santa Ynez, California, July 21, 1982
On July 21, 1982 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N90088, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1982 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N90088 · no longer on the register · serial 9149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PRACTICE LANDING THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND INTERMITTENTLY. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED A DOWNWIND LANDING. PULLING UP OVER A FENCE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND MADE A HARD LANDING THE AIRCRAFT THEN NOSED OVER. THE FUEL CAP VENT WAS BLOCKED WHICH PREVENTED ADEQUATE FUEL FLOW. P/N C156003-0101.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 786 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 668 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,901 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Quest Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L47 Santa Ynez CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: L47 Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.