Cessna 182Q accident near Georgetown, California, August 26, 1995
On August 26, 1995 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N759YV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, California (Georgetown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 compensation for the gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1995 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, California · Georgetown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N759YV · no longer on the register · serial 18266373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT 1,000 FEET ABOVE PATTERN ALTITUDE AND OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK POINTED DOWN RUNWAY 16. THE LOCAL FBO TOLD THE PILOT ON THE CTAF THAT RUNWAY 16 WAS FAVORED; HOWEVER, THE WINDS ON THE GROUND WERE VARIABLE AND GUSTY. THE PILOT ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 16. HE SAID THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL CONDITIONS WHILE ON DOWNWIND OR BASE. ON FINAL APPROACH HE NOTICED THE WIND SOCKS AT THE DEPARTURE AND APPROACH ENDS WERE INDICATING DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND HE WAS CORRECTING FOR A LEFT CROSSWIND CONDITION. SHORTLY AFTER FULL FLAPS WERE SELECTED THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC ALTITUDE LOSS. HE SAID HE ADDED POWER TO COMPENSATE FOR THE ALTITUDE LOSS AND WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT. AS HE FLARED FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT; THE LEFT LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT TURN TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND INTO SCRUB TREES. RUNWAY 16 IS BORDERED ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE BY A SMALL HILLOCK NEAR THE APPROACH END AND SITS ON TOP OF A RIDGE IN A MOUNTAIN VALLEY.
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: 310 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 192 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,068 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1994; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APC Napa CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: Q61
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,980 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.