Cessna 414 accident near Taft, California, July 19, 1994
On July 19, 1994 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N414RH, was destroyed in an accident near Taft, California (Taft airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AND SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UPHILL SLOPE OF THE RUNWAY, TAILWIND, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CORRECTLY CONFIGURE THE FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1994 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Taft, California · Taft · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N414RH · registry record · serial 0457
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS/MEDEVAC) FLIGHT WAS DISPATCHED TO TRANSPORT A PATIENT IN RESPONSE TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. DURING ARRIVAL TO THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIRPORT UNICOM FOR ADVISORIES AND WAS ADVISED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25. RUNWAY 25 HAD A 2.2 PERCENT UPHILL GRADE AND WAS RESTRICTED TO LANDINGS ONLY. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED AND THE PATIENT WAS PUT ON BOARD. THE PILOT BACK-TAXIED ON RUNWAY 25 AND PROCEEDED TO TAKEOFF UPHILL WITH THE AIRPLANE NEAR ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. ACCORDING TO GROUND WITNESSES, THERE WAS A TAILWIND, WHICH THEY ESTIMATED WAS BETWEEN 4 AND 15 KNOTS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 100 DEGREES, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 3200 FEET. AFTER THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, THE PILOT STARTED AN IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN. HOWEVER, THE LEFT TIP TANK CONTACTED THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. IT CAME TO REST ABOUT 711 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR WERE FOUND FULLY EXTENDED; THE PUBLISHED CONFIGURATION FOR TAKEOFF DATA IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL WAS FOR 'WING FLAPS - UP.' THE AIRPORT HAD NO SIGNS TO INDICATE RUNWAY USE RESTRICTIONS; HOWEVER, THE RESTRICTIONS WERE PUBLISHED IN THE AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 45 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,739 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,825 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-B1BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L17 at 9:20 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Runway 25, 3,550 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from BFL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| 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.