Cessna 182Q accident near San Francisco, California, February 12, 1995
On February 12, 1995 at about 5:54 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N4875N, was destroyed in an accident near San Francisco, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inflight collision with water for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1995 · about 5:54 pm local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N4875N · no longer on the register · serial 67428
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE OCEAN ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNDER UNDETERMINED CIRCUMSTANCES. THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM A LOCAL FBO AND TOOK TWO PASSENGERS ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT AND NEVER RETURNED. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PERSONNEL AT A BEACH NORTHWEST OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. THE REMAINS OF ONE OF THE THREE OCCUPANTS WAS LOCATED AND PULLED FROM THE WATER SEVERAL DAYS LATER. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE'S WRECKAGE AT THE TIME OF THE FILING OF THIS REPORT. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 210 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,066 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 1995; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 4:32 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:46 pm from SQL, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.