Cessna 401 accident near San Diego, California, October 26, 1983
On October 26, 1983 at about 4:28 am local time, a Cessna 401, registered N3208Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Brown Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 26, 1983 · about 4:28 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Brown Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N3208Q · no longer on the register · serial 401-0008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING A NIGHT LANDING, THE PLT WAS LOWERING THE NOSEWHEEL TO THE RWY WHEN HE SAW A MEXICAN NATIONAL CROSSING THE RWY. THE PLT SWERVED TO THE LEFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A COLLISION; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE PERSON WHICH RESULTED IN FATAL INJURIES. THE ARPT WAS APRX 90% SURROUNDED BY A CHAIN LINK FENCE & THE REMAINDER WAS ENCLOSED WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE, EXCEPT FOR A DRAINAGE DITCH FULL OF WATER. IT WAS NOT KNOWN HOW THE PERSON, AN ILLEGAL ALIEN, HAD GOTTEN ONTO THE ARPT.
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: 1,820 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 1,640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1983; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mustang Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 8,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from SDM
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.