Cessna 182 accident near Parker Dam, California, August 5, 1989
On August 5, 1989 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5070H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Parker Dam, California (Lake Havasu Palms airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN MAKING A GO-AROUND, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN DURING THE ABORTED LANDING. THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1989 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Parker Dam, California · Lake Havasu Palms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5070H · registry record · serial 18287858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ARRIVING OVER LAKE HAVASU, THE PLT NOTED THAT HE STILL HAD ABOUT 2 HRS BEFORE HE WAS TO BE MET BY FRIENDS. HE DECIDED TO FLY ALONG THE LAKE FOR SOME SIGHT-SEEING. HE SPOTTED A SMALL AIRSTRIP WHICH WAS CLOSER TO HIS ULTIMATE DESTINATION & HE ELECTED TO LAND. THE PLT SAID HE ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR THE SOUTH BOUND RUNWAY & TOUCHED DOWN IN A NORMAL POSITION. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE NOTICED A 'RAIN EROSION DEPRESSION' ACROSS THE DIRT AIRSTRIP. HE ABORTED THE LANDING & PROCEEDED WITH A GO-AROUND. AT THAT POINT, HE SAW A LARGE ROCK HILL AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLT SAID THAT AT THE RATE THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING IT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE HILL & HE BEGAN A LEFT TURN TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN. DURING THE TURN, THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND & THE ACFT CRASHED.
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: 267 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 204 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.