Cessna 180 accident near Kernville, California, June 16, 1987
On June 16, 1987 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2477C, was destroyed in an accident near Kernville, California (Kennedy Meadows airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- June 16, 1987 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kernville, California · Kennedy Meadows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2477C · no longer on the register · serial 30777
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A REMOTE AIRSTRIP AFTER DETECTING SMOKE & AN ODOR OF BURNT OIL COMING FROM THE ENG COMPARTMENT. AFTER LANDING, HE DETERMINED THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR WAS SPILLED OIL ON THE EXHAUST & HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF AGAIN. AFTER HE RAISED THE TAIL DRG THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WENT THRU BRUSH, ENCTRD UNEVEN TERRAIN & NOSED OVER. NO PRE-ACDNT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS RPRTD.
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: 371 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 371 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1988; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L19 Kernville CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: L19 Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,400 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 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.