Cessna TR-182 accident near Paso Robles, California, October 19, 1988
On October 19, 1988 at about 3:12 pm local time, a Cessna TR-182, registered N739YS, was destroyed in an accident near Paso Robles, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE EXECUTING THE PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1988 · about 3:12 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR-182 · all TR-182s on the register
- Registration
- N739YS · no longer on the register · serial R 182 01017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED VFR AND WHILE EN ROUTE ENCOUNTED IMC NEAR THE DESTINATION. THE PLT REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR A VOR-DME APCH. THE PLT WAS INFORMED BY ATC TO EXPECT A DELAY DUE TO ANOTHER ACFT EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH. THE PLT WAS ISSUED THE WX AS INDEFINATE 200 OBS, VIS 1/4 MILE. ONE MILE VIS WAS REQUIRED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING. THE PLT ACCEPTED THE APCH CLEARANCE AND STARTED A DESCENT. THE ACFT DESCENDED 1,200 BELOW THE APCH PROFILE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLT WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN AND WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF RANCH AIRSTRIPS WHERE HE HAD LANDED PREVIOUS TO THIS FLT TO WAIT OUT THE WX AT THE SAME DESTINATION ARPT. THE COURSE BEING FLOWN BY THE PLT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM DIRECT TO ONE OF THESE RANCHES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 1988; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Patroline, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: VIS Visalia CA
- Destination: PRB Paso Robles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PRB, 8 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.