Cessna TR182 accident near Petaluma, California, February 9, 1991
On February 9, 1991 at about 4:55 am local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N2415S, was destroyed in an accident near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT BECOMING DISORIENTED IN THE DARK, NIGHTTIME, INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND TO THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE FLYING IN SUCH CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1991 · about 4:55 am local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N2415S · registry record · serial R18201338
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 158 HOUR TOTAL TIME PRIVATE PILOT PLANNED AN 18 NM NIGHT TIME FLIGHT TO VISIT A FRIEND. THE PILOT HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE FLYING ON INSTRUMENTS, HAVING ONLY 2.6 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLYING TIME. ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS DARK. THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WAS SHROUDED IN GROUND FOG AND LOW LEVEL CLOUDS EXISTED NEARBY. THE SKY WAS OBSCURED. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY AND PROBABLY ATTEMPTED TO LAND. THE PILOT ABORTED HIS ATTEMPT, OVERFLEW THE RUNWAY'S END AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE GAINED 150 TO 200 FEET ALTITUDE AND ENTERED THE BASE OF CLOUDS, ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE THEN LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE AIRPLANE REAPPEARED, AND IT WAS DESCENDING AT ABOUT AN 80 DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 1600 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 158 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 0544L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Del Monte Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: STS Sonoma CA at 4:04 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX91FA093.