Cessna 185E accident near Lone Pine, California, May 30, 1992
On May 30, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 185E, registered N3349L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lone Pine, California (Monache Meadows 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 DID NOT ABORT THE TAKEOFF IN TIME TO AVOID THE ON GROUND COLLISION WITH THE FENCE AND CREEK BANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lone Pine, California · Monache Meadows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185E · all 185Es on the register
- Registration
- N3349L · no longer on the register · serial 185-1301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS TAKING OFF ON THE 1,800 FOOT AIRSTRIP AND COMPUTED A TAKEOFF DISTANCE OF 1,600 FEET. ON TAKEOFF ROLL, HE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING THE POWER IT SHOULD HAVE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND ENDING UP IMPACTING THE OPPOSITE BANK OF A CREEK. HE FURTHER STATED, HE MADE A JUDGEMENT ERROR IN NOT PICKING A GO, NO GO POINT AND THEN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF, AVOIDING THE FENCE AND CREEK. A SPECIFIC REASON WAS NOT PROVIDED TO SUBSTANTIATE THE REPORTED DEGRADATION OF ENGINE POWER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,739 hours in all; 960 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 5:00 pm
- Destination: L91 Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°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.
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.