Cessna 182N accident near Escondido, California, January 21, 1982
On January 21, 1982 at about 1:23 am local time, a Cessna 182N, registered N92387, was destroyed in an accident near Escondido, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 21, 1982 · about 1:23 am local time
- Place
- Escondido, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182N · all 182Ns on the register
- Registration
- N92387 · no longer on the register · serial 60181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RECEIVED A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING. THE BRIEFER WARNED HIM THAT THE WEATHER SYSTEM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND ADVISED HIM SEVERAL TIMES NOT TO GO. THE BRIEFING INCLUDED NUMEROUS PILOT REPORTS THAT CONFIRMED THE FORECAST OF ICING AND TURBULENCE. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED IN AN AIRCRAFT THAT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS. RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST WHILE IT WAS DESCENDING TO INTERCEPT THE ILS. THE PLANE WAS FOUND ON 1/21/82 WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. IT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 300 FT FROM WHERE IT HAD STRUCK THE TOPS OF TREES. INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS REVEALED THAT THE WEATHER WAS SEVERE WITH WIND AND RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE ELEVATION OF THE TREES WAS ABOUT 3380 FT MSL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,803 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,604 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Imperial CA at 4:23 pm
- Destination: IPL Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:30 pm, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.