Cessna 182C accident near Novato, California, February 19, 1995
On February 19, 1995 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N9036T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Novato, California (Gnoss Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper base leg alignment while flying in the traffic pattern and his misjudged distance and altitude during the approach. A factor which contributed to the accident was the dark nighttime lighting condition which reduced the pilot's ability to perceive that he had drifted off course.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1995 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Novato, California · Gnoss Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9036T · registry record · serial 52936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON A DARK NIGHT, WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY, THE PILOT MADE A TRAFFIC PATTERN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31 AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. WHILE DESCENDING ON BASE LEG, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT SOUTH OF COURSE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND, AND IT COLLIDED WITH AN UNMARKED HILL ABOUT 3/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A 'LACK OF GROUND REFERENCE,' HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE RISING TERRAIN OR THE SOUTHERLY DRIFT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,358 hours in all; 2,236 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,644 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1994; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCK Stockton CA at 3:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX95LA111.