Cessna 182Q accident near Fillmore, California, June 28, 1991
On June 28, 1991 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N759FY, was destroyed in an accident near Fillmore, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT BY THE PILOT TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IFR CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY AND INSUFFICIENT INSTRUMENT TRAINING OF THE PILOT TO DEAL WITH THE IFR CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1991 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Fillmore, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N759FY · no longer on the register · serial 18265970
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE ON A PERSONAL CROSS COUNRY FLIGHT AND WERE REPORTED OVERDUE. SEARCH PERSONNEL LOCATED THE ACCIDENT THE FOLLOWING DAY, AFTER RECEIVING AN ELT SIGNAL. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ON THE EAST FACE OF A 4000 FOOT MOUNTAIN AT AN EELEVATION OF 3500 FEET. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT IN WHICH FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS WERE FORECASTED AND VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WERE REPORTED TO BE MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION, MODERATE TURBULENCE, BROKEN CEILINGS OF 1500 TO 2000 FEET WITH VARIOUS LAYERS OF CLOUDS. COASTAL CONDITIONS INCLUDED LIMITED VISIBILITIES OF 3 TO 5 MILES IN FOG AND HAZE AND SOME SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. WHEN THE PILOT OPENED THE VFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE INFORMATION THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED WAS AGAIN STRESSED.
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: 190 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1990; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 5:57 pm
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from OXR, 18 miles away
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.