Cessna 182P accident near Arcata, California, April 2, 1992
On April 2, 1992 at about 5:54 am local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N1362M, was destroyed in an accident near Arcata, California (Arcata-Eureka airport). 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
THE PILOT'S DESCENT BELOW DECISION HEIGHT, AND HIS ALCOHOLIC IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1992 · about 5:54 am local time
- Place
- Arcata, California · Arcata-Eureka · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N1362M · no longer on the register · serial 18264298
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD EARLIER, AT 2111, EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH FOLLOWING AN ILS APPROACH TO THE ARCADA AIRPORT. THE WX AT THAT TIME WAS SKY PARTLY OBSCURED, 100 BROKEN, 1-1/2 MI IN FOG. HE ALSO CANCELED IFR. AT 2137 HE CALLED ARCADA RADIO AND ADVISED THEY HAD ' A COUPLE OF DEAD VOR'S, ' AND WOULD LIKE A DF STEER TO ARCADA AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD EARLIER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THE ARCADA VOR WAS OUT OF SERVICE. HE WAS PROVIDED DF SERVICE TO A POINT 3 MI SW OF THE AIRPORT, AND CLEARED FOR THE ILS RWY 32 APPROACH. NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED. THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF REDWOOD TREES 4,500 FT NE OF THE AIRPORT ON AN APRX HEADING OF 097 DEG. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER THEIR HOMES AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/8 MI IN FOG. THE PILOT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL AS TESTED AT THE TIME OF HIS HOSPITAL ADMISSION WAS 0.14 GM%.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 953 hours in all; 899 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,733 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1992; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FOT Fortuna CA at 4:32 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 am from ACV, 1 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.