Cessna 152 accident near Lancaster, California, September 30, 1989
On September 30, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6422M, was destroyed in an accident near Lancaster, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ENTER INTO IMC WHILE FLYING UNDER VFR. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ACCIDENT WERE: LOW CEILINGS, POOR PLANNING AND DECISIONS, FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING AND NOT PERFORMING A WEATHER EVALUATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6422M · registry record · serial 15284721
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER TOOK OFF FOR A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT TO CONDUCT A VOR RECEIVER CHECK. HIS CHECK POINT WAS OVER THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE. THE FLIGHT FAILED TO RETURN AND WAS REPORTED MISSING SIX HOURS AFTER ITS TAKEOFF. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND EIGHTEEN HOURS LATER, IMPACTED IN THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. WEATHER REPORTS FOR THE TIME FRAME OF THE ACCIDENT NOTED THAT THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,495 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: West Coast Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: WJF at 6:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:57 pm from WJF, 18 miles away
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.