Cessna 180K accident near San Miguel Is, California, May 5, 1984
On May 5, 1984 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N66597, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Miguel Is, California (Lester Ranch House Strip airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1984 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Miguel Is, California · Lester Ranch House Strip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N66597 · registry record · serial 18052949
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF IN A 35 KT WIND WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE IN A 3 POINT ATTITUDE, & WHEN 2 TO 3 FT IN THE AIR, IT BEGAN A LEFT TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE WING DRAGGED THE GROUND & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT SAID HE SHOULD HAVE RAISED THE ACFT'S TAIL EARLIER & NOT USED FLAPS. THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 40 KTS.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX84LA281.