Cessna 182 accident near Cucamonga, California, May 29, 1990
On May 29, 1990 at about 3:38 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N49565, was destroyed in an accident near Cucamonga, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1990 · about 3:38 pm local time
- Place
- Cucamonga, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N49565 · no longer on the register · serial 18267157
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CRUISING AT 6,500 FEET WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A SOLID OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A DESCENDING 180 DEGREE TURN TO FIND AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 6,000 FEET MSL. A WEATHER BRIEFING OBTAINED BY THE PILOT PRIOR TO FLIGHT INDICATED THAT CEILINGS WERE 6,000 TO 8,000 FEET WITH MOUNTAINS OBSCURED. RESCUE PERSONNEL DID NOT LOCATE THE WRECKAGE FOR 10 HOURS DUE TO POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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: 209 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1989; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLH Blythe CA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: POC La Verne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.