Cessna 172L accident near Westmoreland, California, October 19, 1984
On October 19, 1984 at about 10:00 am local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N3890Q, was destroyed in an accident near Westmoreland, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 19, 1984 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- Westmoreland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3890Q · no longer on the register · serial 17259990
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE WAS DESCENDING TO LAND AT HIS INTENDED WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & THE ENG LOST POWER. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG & SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED IN A FRESHLY IRREGATED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WHILE TRAVELING ACROSS FURROWS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT IT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN & NOSE GEAR FIRST, CARTWHEELED AND CAME TO REST INVERTED AFTER TRAVELING AN ADDITIONAL DISTANCE OF ABOUT 100 YDS. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 981 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,695 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRM Thermal CA at 9:00 am
- Destination: IPL Imperial CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:00 am
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.