Cessna 180J accident near Descanso, California, February 24, 1983
On February 24, 1983 at about 5:00 am local time, a Cessna 180J, registered N3687C, was destroyed in an accident near Descanso, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- February 24, 1983 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Descanso, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N3687C · no longer on the register · serial 31186
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS ON A FLT FROM FARMINGTON, NM TO EL CAJON, CA, BUT MADE A STOP AT BORREGO SPRINGS, CA WHERE A PASSENGER DEPLANED. BEFORE DEPARTING FARMINGTON, HE OBTAINEND A WX BRIEFING FOR THE TRIP, BUT ONLY FILED A FLT PLAN FOR THE 1ST LEG WHEN TOLD OF BAD WX ALONG THE 2ND LEG. AT BORREGO SPRINGS, NO AVIATION FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. THE PLT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT SO HE OBTAINED 2-1/2 GAL OF SUPREME UNLEADED AUTO FUEL. ON THE NEXT LEG OF THE FLT, THE ACFT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A WITNESS SAID HE HEARD THE ENG SPUTTER THEN SAW THE ACFT COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A 65 DEG ANGLE. HE ESTIMATED THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUDS WERE ABOUT 400 TO 500 FT AGL. ALSO, HE DESCRIBED THE WX AS RAINY, HEAVY AT TIMES, WITH LOW CEILINGS & SOME BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE ACFT WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO DETERMINETHE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WAS IN THE TANKS PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 3900 FT.
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: 640 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 566 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1982; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L08 Borren Springs CA
- Destination: SEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 27.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from SAN, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.