Cessna 414A accident near Avenal, California, April 6, 1991
On April 6, 1991 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N242AR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Avenal, California (Orchard Ranch airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER STRIKING A DIRT BERM DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ENSURE THAT THE AIRPORT WAS ADEQUATE FOR HIS INTENDED OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1991 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Avenal, California · Orchard Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N242AR · registry record · serial 414A0472
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP WITH 4 PASSENGERS ON A FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135. THE AIRSTRIP IS 3,000 FEET LONG AND 20 FEET WIDE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A DIRT BERM THAT WAS DEPOSITED ON THE RUNWAY BY RECENT DUST STORMS. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE HARD SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT GEAR STRUCK SOFT TERRAIN AND WAS SHEARED OFF FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR PASSENGERS. THE LANDING GEAR WIDTH OF THE AIRPLANE IS 18 FEET.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,948 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,859 as pilot in command; 1,391 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,087 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TS10-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Allana INC
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 3,000 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX91LA167.