Cessna 182R accident near Warner Springs, California, February 20, 1993
On February 20, 1993 at about 11:37 pm local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N5514N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warner Springs, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1993 · about 11:37 pm local time
- Place
- Warner Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5514N · no longer on the register · serial 18267765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS WHICH CONTAINED AN ADVISORY OF A CURRENT AIRMET AND SIGMET. THE SIGMET FORECAST OCCASIONALLY SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000 FEET, WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL DUE TO A STRONG LOW LEVEL WESTERLY AIR FLOW. THE AIRMET ADVISED THAT MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AND MODERATE TURBULENCE WERE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE AREA BELOW 15,000 FEET. IN ADDITION, A PILOT REPORT WAS PASSED ALONG TO THE PILOT FROM A BOEING 737 WHICH HAD ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED ALONG A ROUTE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 8,000 FEET. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT, WHICH THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT COUNTER DESPITE APPLYING FULL POWER AND MAINTAINING BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE DOWN DRAFT AT TIMES SHOWED A DESCENT RATE OF 1,500 FEET PER MINUTE ON THE VSI. THE FLIGHT ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 6,000 FEET, AND, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, COLLIDED WITH TREES AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT THE 5,500 FOOT LEVEL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,656 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 26, 1992; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXL Calexico CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.