Cessna 206 accident near Perris Valley, California, September 4, 1982
On September 4, 1982 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 206, registered N5374U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Perris Valley, California (Perris Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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
- September 4, 1982 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Perris Valley, California · Perris Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N5374U · registry record · serial U20602255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN SLIGHTLY LEFT OF RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANUEVER THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO CENTER, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. WHEN HE SAW A DITCH AHEAD AND APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND COLLIDED WITH THE DITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVES HIS PASSENGER APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE EVENTS.
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
- Flight time: 2,030 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,984 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 450 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Flite
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Hayward CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: New Hampton IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 187°F (86°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.