Cessna A185F accident near Pine Valley, California, January 22, 1985
On January 22, 1985 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N24BC, was destroyed in an accident near Pine Valley, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- January 22, 1985 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Pine Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N24BC · registry record · serial 28502328
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE THE PLT WAS RETURNING FROM A X-COUNTRY FLT AT NIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING LOW IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION & APPEARED TO BE FOLLOWING INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 8. ONE WITNESS, WHO WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND, STATED THAT THE ACFT OVERTOOK HIM WHILE FLYING AT ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT ABOVE HIS AUTO. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE ACFT THEN TURNED, CROSSED OVER THE FREEWAY, STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN & BURST INTO FLAMES. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 4200 FT. LOW CLOUDS WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. APRX 23 MI WEST AT THE GILLESPI ARPT, THE WX WAS REPORTED AS 3000 FT OVERCAST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY. THE ELEVATION AT GILLESPI WAS 385 FT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Destination: SEE Santee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.