Cessna 320C accident near Monterey, California, August 24, 1984
On August 24, 1984 at about 3:57 am local time, a Cessna 320C, registered N7AE, was destroyed in an accident near Monterey, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 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
- August 24, 1984 · about 3:57 am local time
- Place
- Monterey, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320C · all 320Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7AE · registry record · serial 320C0060
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT ARRIVED IN MONTEREY, CA, THAT AFTERNOON. AFTER DINNER THE FLT WAS RETURNING TO THE POINT OF ORIGINAL DEPARTURE. WHEN THE PLT CONTACTED THE TWR FOR TAXI INSTRUCTION HE WAS INFORMED THAT MONTEREY WX WAS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. AFTER A DISCUSSION OF WX CONDITIONS IN THE VICINITY AND THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS, THE CONTROLLER ISSUED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE. AT 2051 PDT THE ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. AT 2054 WHEN ASKED BY THE CONTROLLER IF THE HIGHWAY WAS IN SIGHT THE PLT RESPONDED 'ROGER.' THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO STAY OVER THE HIGHWAY AND TO STANDBY ON TWRFREQ. AT 2055 THE CONTROLLER CALLED THE ACFT TO TURN LEFT WARNING OF RISING TERRAIN. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO CLIMB IN A RIGHT TURN FROM 900 TO 1500 FEET BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT 4.5 MILES EAST OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE 30 DEGREE UPSLOPING TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN INVERTED ATTITUDE AND WAS CONSUMED BY POST CRASH FIRE. ELEVATION AT THE ARPT AND ACCIDENT SITE WERE 244 AND 744 FT MSL RESPECTIVELY.
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
- Flight time: 2,041 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 1,841 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,605 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1984; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MRY Monterey CA at 3:54 am
- Destination: FCH Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from MRY, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.