Cessna 414 accident near Pleasanton, California, January 9, 1989
On January 9, 1989 at about 7:24 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N1672T, was destroyed in an accident near Pleasanton, California (Oakland Int'L airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY FOLLOW THE IFR (INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES) PROCEDURES BY NOT MAINTAINING THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THAT SEQMENT OF THE APPROACH. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WERE CONSIDERED TO BE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1989 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- Pleasanton, California · Oakland Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N1672T · registry record · serial 0465
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS CLRD FOR AN ILS RWY 27R APCH TO THE METRO OAKLAND INTL ARPT. AS SHE BEGAN THE APCH, THE ATC CTLR NOTED THE ACFT HAD DSCNDD THRU 2900 FT MSL. HE PROVIDED A LOW ALT ALERT TO THE PLT & WARNED HER THE ACFT SHOULD BE AT 3300 FT. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED BY SAYING 'THANK YOU.' THE ATC CTLR SUGGESTED THE PLT CLIMB TO 3300 FT IMMEDIATELY,THEN HE CANCELED THE CLNC & TOLD THE PLT TO CLIMB IMMEDIATELY TO 3300 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 15 MI EAST OF THE ARPT. IMPACT OCCURRED WITH A 1500 FT RIDGE AT ABOUT THE 1000 FT LEVEL. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 471 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 361 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 5:07 pm
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 5,453 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:05 pm from OAK, 15 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.