Cessna TR182 accident near Big Bear City, California, May 19, 1984
On May 19, 1984 at about 8:48 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N756BS, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear City, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- May 19, 1984 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N756BS · no longer on the register · serial 1032
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, SHORTLY AFTER LANDING GEAR RETRACTION, THE ENG BACKFIRED AND EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS. THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD JUST OFF THE RWY. THE ACFT BOUNCED ONCE AND CAME TO REST IN A CITY PARK. IT IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. THE TWO OCCUPANTS ESCAPED FROM THE ACFT, BUT WERE SERIOUSLY BURNED. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING. THERE WERE INDICATIONS ON ALL SPARK PLUGS OF HEAVY DEPOSITS OF LEAD AND OIL. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE NOT GAPPED CONSISTANTLY. THE ELECTRODES WERE GRAY IN COLOR. TESTS CONDUCTED ON THE PLUGS REVEALED THAT THE MAJORITY FAILED TO FIRE AT HIGH MANIFOLD PRESSURES. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10000 FT MSL. THE PLT STATED THAT ON RUN-UP THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH, BUT LEANING THE MIXTURE HELPED. HE STATED THAT HE ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH FOR TAKEOFF.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 803 hours in all; 276 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 710 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,137 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1983; 1,472 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from SBD, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.