Cessna 182 accident near Watsonville, California, January 31, 1994
On January 31, 1994 at about 2:20 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N21106, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY FAILING TO REMOVE THE PITOT TUBE COVER AND DELAY IN HIS REMEDIAL ACTION BY NOT BEGINNING TO STOP THE AIRPLANE UNTIL IT WAS ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE COLLAPSED NOSE LANDING GEAR ARE FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1994 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N21106 · no longer on the register · serial 18261417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FAILED TO REMOVE THE PITOT TUBE COVER BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE DARK NIGHT ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT REGISTERING UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. TIRE SKID MARKS BEGAN 1,042 FEET BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN IT ENTERED THE SOFT CLAY TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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
- Flight time: 1,297 hours in all; 748 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,196 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 1993; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVI at 2:20 am
- Destination: Q99 San Martin CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.