Cessna C-340A accident near Brawley, California, September 2, 1991
On September 2, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna C-340A, registered N4298C, was destroyed in an accident near Brawley, California (Brawley Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG LANDING RUNWAY AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN LOCATION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE RELATED TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE OBSERVATIONS OF THE WEATHER AND THE TAILWIND CONDITION WHICH EXISTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Brawley, California · Brawley Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-340A
- Registration
- N4298C · no longer on the register · serial 340A0601
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RETURNING TO THE PILOT'S HOME BASE AIRPORT, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE OVERFLEW THE UNCONTROLLED FIELD AND THEN ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 26 WHICH WAS OVER 4400 FEET LONG. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK WAS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY BUT FAILED TO INITIALLY OBSERVE THAT HE WAS LANDING WITH A NEARLY DIRECT 20 TO 25 KNOT TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN LONG, OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S DEPARTURE END, COLLIDED WITH A POLE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,597 hours in all; 322 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 1,475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 1:15 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 4,447 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4298C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.