Cessna 182A accident near Santa Paula, California, August 16, 1985
On August 16, 1985 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N5879B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 16, 1985 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N5879B · no longer on the register · serial 33879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN A RIVER BED. THE PLT SAID 4 HRS AND 20 MNS OF ENGINE RUN TIME HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE LAST FUELING OF THE ACFT. AT THE LAST FUELING, THE PLT SAID HE ORDERED THE ACFT 'TOPPED,' HOWEVER, DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS, THE PLT SAID BOTH FUEL GAGES INDICATED ONE-QUARTER OF A TANK EACH. SUBSEQUENT TESTING OF THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE LEFT SYSTEM WAS INCORRECTLY CALIBRATED AND THE GAGE INDICATED ONE NEEDLE WIDTH BELOW THE ONE-QUARTER INDICIES WHEN THE TRANSMITTER WAS IN THE EMPTY POSITION.
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: 505 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 455 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,855 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1984; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB Paso Robles CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from OXR, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.