Cessna C-172 accident near Lakeside, California, June 6, 1991
On June 6, 1991 at about 5:37 am local time, a Cessna C-172, registered N5814A, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeside, California (Gilliespie airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REQUEST RADAR ASSISTANCE TO AVOID LOW CEILINGS IN HIGH TERRAIN AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH HIGH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS SPECIFICALLY LOW CLOUDS AND THE LIGHT CONDITIONS OF THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1991 · about 5:37 am local time
- Place
- Lakeside, California · Gilliespie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-172
- Registration
- N5814A · no longer on the register · serial 28414
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 172 COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING NIGHT VFR FLT. THE PLT WAS NON-INSTRUMENT RATED AND WAS VFR ON TOP OF A 1,500 FT CEILING ABOVE HIS DEST. THE PLT WAS IN RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL TRACON. THE PLT DID NOT REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM THE TRACON TO AVOID THE WX CONDITIONS. INSTEAD THE PLT ELECTED TO FIND A HOLE IN THE OVERCAST. THE TRACON ISSUED A WARNING TO THE PLT OF HIGH TERRAIN. THE PLT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLIGHT BELOW THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE UNDER HIS OWN NAVIGATION AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD GND CONTACT. THE TRACON THEN INFORMED THE PLT OF HIS LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE APRT AND INFORMED HIM HE WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE HIGH TERRAIN. HIS ALT READOUT WAS ABOUT 2,600 FT MSL. THE PLT THEN REQUESTED A VECTOR TO THE APRT. THE TRACON INFORMED THE PLT OF A WESTBOUND HEADING TO THE APRT. THE PLT TURNED TO THE HEADING AND THEN REVERSE COURSE AND HEADED EAST TOWARDS EVEN HIGHER TERRAIN. RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE EAST SLOPE OF A 1,868 FT RIDGE AT 1,500 LVL ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING.
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: 290 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 257 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1991; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 3:00 am
- Destination: SEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from NKX, 17 miles away
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.