Cessna A185F accident near Big Bear City, California, September 8, 1989
On September 8, 1989 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N252W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City 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'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1989 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N252W · registry record · serial 18503687
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ADVISED BY UNICOM THAT RWY 7 WAS IN USE, ANTICIPATED WIND FROM NE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE FOUND WIND WAS FROM SW. PILOT ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT, BUT LOST CONTROL AS LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT LOCAL WIND DIRECTION WAS 'SQUIRRELLY' AND THAT THE WIND SOCKS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE RUNWAY WERE POINTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. A DUST DEVIL WAS ALSO REPORTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED HE DID NOT OBSERVE WIND SOCK.
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: 953 hours in all; 288 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Downey Construction, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 10:50 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
Other NTSB records under N252W 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.