Cessna 152 accident near Half Moon Bay, California, June 20, 1994
On June 20, 1994 at about 6:14 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N761GZ, was destroyed in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Half Moon Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1994 · about 6:14 am local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Half Moon Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N761GZ · no longer on the register · serial A15220953
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED A COASTAL AIRPORT AS THE RETURN PORTION OF A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE DEPARTURE ROUTE PLACED THE AIRPLANE OVER AN OCEAN BAY. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AS AN 800 TO 1,000 FOOT OVERCAST. WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE AND THEN OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE OVERCAST IN A SPIN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WATER IN A NEAR-VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. A SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT ONLY LOCATED FLOATING DEBRIS. SEVERAL SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES HAVE NOT LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT. THE OCCUPANTS INITIALLY WERE NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT'S BODY WAS RECOVERED 1 MONTH AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,868 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 1993; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Valley Flying Club
The flight
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 am from SFO, 9 miles away
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.