Cessna T182 accident near Big Bear City, California, January 11, 1987
On January 11, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna T182, registered N6216N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear 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).
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 11, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T182 · all T182s on the register
- Registration
- N6216N · registry record · serial 18267799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN DURING THE LANDING, A SEVERE VIBRATION BEGAN & THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. SHE SAID SHE PULLED THE YOKE AFT, BUT THIS HAD NO RESPONSE. ALSO, SHE SAID SHE APPLIED BRAKES, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE ACFT OR MAKE IT TURN RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DRIFTED INTO A SNOW BANK BESIDE THE RWY & NOSED OVER. A WITNESS SAID THE LEFT MAIN GEAR 'CAUGHT THE SNOW ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY FOR APPROX 30 FEET, THEN AIRCRAFT TURNED INTO THE SNOW . . .' AN EXAM OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS MADE, BUT NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE 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: 482 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 389 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: L35
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 024° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.