Cessna 172N accident near Julian, California, April 9, 1994
On April 9, 1994 at about 6:08 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6242D, was destroyed in an accident near Julian, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT(S). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1994 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- Julian, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6242D · no longer on the register · serial 17272659
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN A BRIEFING ON 4/8/94, THE PILOT(S) WERE ADVISED OF FORECAST FRONTAL ACTIVITY, GUSTY WINDS & TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000' ALONG THE ROUTE. THE INSTRUMENT STUDENT SAID THAT DURING FLIGHT ON 4/9/94, THEY ENTERED IFR CONDITIONS AT 8000' & HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO DOWNDRAFTS. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFII) TOOK THE CONTROLS & WAS ALSO UNABLE TO GAIN OR MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE ADVISED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (ATC) OF THE PROBLEM & WAS CLEARED DOWN TO 7000'. SOON THEREAFTER, HE TOLD ATC THE PLANE WAS DESCENDING IN A DOWNDRAFT THROUGH 6300'. ATC ADVISED THE FLIGHT OF A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT & ASKED THEM TO MAINTAIN 7000'. THE CFII REPLIED THAT HE WAS TRYING & ASKED FOR A RADAR VECTOR. ATC WARNED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS BELOW MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE & TO CLIMB AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE DESCENT COULD NOT BE STOPPED & THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAINSIDE AT THE 4800' LEVEL. PERSONNEL IN A NEARBY CABIN SAID THEY WERE ENVELOPED IN A FAST MOVING CLOUD BANK WITH HIGH WINDS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND, ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED BY IMPACT & GROUND 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,350 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,225 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 26, 1993; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: YUM Yuma AZ at 4:31 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from CRQ, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.