Cessna 180 accident near Murrieta, California, June 24, 1985
On June 24, 1985, a Cessna 180, registered N2451F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murrieta, California (Thompson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1985
- Place
- Murrieta, California · Thompson
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2451F · registry record · serial 18051652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF A PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT STATED HE MADE A HARD LANDING AFTER WHICH, THE AIRCRAFT GOT AWAY FROM HIM AND GROUND LOOPED.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1985; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: Murrieta CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,682 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RIV, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. 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 LAX85LA291.