Cessna 182L accident near Upland, California, March 4, 1989
On March 4, 1989 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182L, registered N42859, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upland, California (Cable airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO CORRECT THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ACHIEVE PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO LANDING TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1989 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N42859 · no longer on the register · serial 18259219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 182, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH AN OBSTACLE AT CCB. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A CRABBED ATTITUDE, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A BUSH. HE STATED THAT HE WAS PERFORMING A SLIP ON FINAL APPROACH AND COULD NOT ALIGN THE AIRPLANE LOGITUDINALLY WITH THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. DURING THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 1,360 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIT Shafter CA
- Destination: CCB
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 3,785 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.