Cessna 551 incident near Near Palm Sprin, California, December 9, 1982
On December 9, 1982 at about 4:38 pm local time, a Cessna 551, registered N1218V, suffered minor damage in an incident near Near Palm Sprin, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 incident. 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
- December 9, 1982 · about 4:38 pm local time
- Place
- Near Palm Sprin, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 551 · all 551s on the register
- Registration
- N1218V · no longer on the register · serial 0431
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND CLIMBOUT, THE AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTIONED AFTER THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN OVERCAST AND ENCOUNTERED RAIN AND TURBULENCE. THE PILOT RETURNED TO BERMUDA DUNES, CA. AFTER LANDING HE HAD THE ELECTRICAL, AVIONICS AND AUTO PILOT SYSTEMS CHECKED. ALL ITEMS WERE OPERATIONAL. THE PILOT PREPARED TO TAKEOFF AGAIN, BUT FAILED TO TURN ON THE STANDBY GYRO WHICH WAS BATTERY POWERED. AFTER DEPARTING, HE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED RAIN AND TURBULENCE IN IFR CONDITIONS (AT ABOUT 9500 FT). AT ABOUT THAT TIME ATC ADVISED HIS TRANSPONDER WAS NOT PROVIDING A RETURN. HE SWITCHED TRANSPONDERS, BUT ATC STILL RECEIVED NO RETURN. SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED, THE AUTO PILOT DISENGAGED, AND THE COPILOT'S GYROS TUMBLED. HE TURNED ON THE STANDBY GYRO WHICH NEEDED TIME TO BE USED. A HIGH SPEED DESCENT WAS ENTERED INADVERTENTLY AND THE AIRSPEED WARNING HORN ACTIVATED. THE PILOT ACTIVATED THE SPEED BRAKES AND MADE A SHARP PULL-UP DURING THE RECOVERY. HE THEN RETURNED AND LANDED. WRINKLES WERE FOUND ON THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,200 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 7,830 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 81 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,700 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W JT-15D-4 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA at 8:30 am
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.