Cessna 175 accident near Jackson, California, May 3, 1993
On May 3, 1993 at about 10:03 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N9494B, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY CALCULATE THE REQUIRED FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE OF THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, AND ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, WERE FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1993 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N9494B · no longer on the register · serial 55294
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED, NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT, DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT OF ABOUT 460 NAUTICAL MILES WITHOUT REFUELING. ABOUT 19 MILES SHORT OF THE INTENDED DESTINATION, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MANEUVERING AT TREE TOP LEVEL OVER HEAVILY WOODED TERRAIN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. THIRTY MILLILITERS OF FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE. THE PROPELLER DID NOT DISPLAY ANY SIGNS OF ENGINE POWER BEING PRODUCED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 544 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLH Blythe CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: PVF Placerville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from MHR, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.