Cessna 182R accident near Gorman, California, November 25, 1988
On November 25, 1988 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N5545N, was destroyed in an accident near Gorman, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. THE EXISTENCE OF A MOUNTAIN WAVE ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT ROUTE, THE FAILURE OF THE CREW TO EVALUATE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE FLIGHT ROUTE, THE CREWS ATTEMPT TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE OVER CONFIDENCE OF THE CREW IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1988 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Gorman, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5545N · no longer on the register · serial 18267783
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING THAT REPORTED STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS ALONG THE PROPOSED FLIGHT ROUTE, THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT AND AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOKOFF ON A PERSONAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ITS DESCENT FOR LANDING THE CREW REPORTED THEY HAD ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOST, THE AIRCRAFT'S RADAR TARGET DISAPPEARED AND AN ELT RADIO SIGNALS WERE DETECTED. GROUND SEARCH PARTIES INITIATED A SEARCH AND THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED TEN HOURS LATER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 808 hours in all; 163 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 576 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1988; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 10:06 pm
- Destination: BFL Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BFL, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5545N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.