Cessna P206 accident near Redding, California, January 5, 1984
On January 5, 1984 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna P206, registered N2645X, was destroyed in an accident near Redding, California (Benton airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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 5, 1984 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Redding, California · Benton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N2645X · no longer on the register · serial P2060145
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT CONTACTED A FSS & WAS ADVISED THAT THE REDDING ARPT WAS BELOW MINIMUMS DUE TO FOG. HE THEN CONTACTED THE BENTON UNICOM (7 MI NW OF REDDING MUNI) & REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE RWY LIGHTS AT THE BENTON ARPT, BUT THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO LOCATE ENTERPRISE ARPT WHICH WAS 5 MI EAST OF BENTON. ALSO, HE STATED THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL, & SINCE HE COULD SEE THE LIGHTS ON EUREKA WAY (CALIFORNIA STATE HIGHWAY 299W), HE WOULD USE IT IF NECESSARY. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH 2 OVERHEAD GROUND LINES WHICH WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHASTA TRACY 230 KV TRANSMISSION LINE. THE CABLES WERE 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER & LOCATED NEAR EUREKA WAY, 120 FT AGL, & APRX 1-1/2 MI FROM THE BENTON ARPT. AFTER HITTING THE CABLES THE ACFT IMPACTED ON EUREKA WAY. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL PROBLEM.
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: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 022 Columbia CA at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 am from RDD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.