Cessna 172N accident near Near Rialto, California, November 29, 1982
On November 29, 1982 at about 6:15 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3579E, was destroyed in an accident near Near Rialto, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- November 29, 1982 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Near Rialto, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3579E · no longer on the register · serial 17271596
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS HAD FLOWN FROM VAN NUYS, CA TO PALM SPRING, CA DURING THE AFTERNOON. AFTER ARRIVAL, THEY SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THE GROUND. AT 1740, THE PILOT CALLED A FSS TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A FLIGHT TO CONCORD, CA. DURING THE BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE FORCAST INDICATED DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO AN APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEM OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. AT 2153 PST, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WESTBOUND. RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED 8 MI WEST OF PALM SPRINGS AND NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE MADE. THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO REACH ITS DESTINATION AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED PROGRESS OF THE SEARCH WAS DELAYED DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD STRUCK STEEP TERRAIN IN CANYON FOOTHILLS AT THE 3400 FT LEVEL. AN INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE PLANE CRASHED IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW, LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.THE ONTARIO, CA WX WAS 2200 BROKEN, 4 MI VIS WITH FOG.
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: 44 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,086 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pioneer Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palms Springs CA at 9:53 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ONT, 20 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.