Cessna 152 accident near Carmel, California, June 17, 1996
On June 17, 1996 at about 5:15 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6198P, was destroyed in an accident near Carmel, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot becoming lost and disoriented during a night VFR flight in marginal weather conditions. Factors in the accident were: the pilot's lack of night flying experience, his failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, low ceilings, and his failure to reverse course to known clear weather conditions when he first encountered the low ceilings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1996 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- Carmel, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6198P · no longer on the register · serial 15284986
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The newly certificated private pilot and passenger departed for a 1.5 hour night flight over the standard tourist sights of San Francisco Bay. This was the third night flight for the pilot. The pilot requested from ATC a VFR clearance to do the 'standard bay tour,' which is a term recognized by the TRACON to mean that the pilot will overfly the standard tourists sights in the bay, then go south on the Pacific coast to Half Moon Bay, and return to the San Jose area across the coastal mountains. Radar data and ATC transcripts disclosed that the flight proceeded north along the bay to the Golden Gate Bridge, then turned south along the peninsula's Pacific coast. During the flight, the pilot requested a descent to 1,300 feet in order to stay below the stratus clouds. Radar service was terminated 5 miles north of Half Moon Bay as the aircraft went below the floor of the TRACON's radar coverage at 1,000 feet msl. At the time, the pilot stated that he had the Half Moon Bay airport in sight. The aircraft never returned to San Jose, was reported missing on 6/18, and was not located by a search. On 7/18, the wreckage was found in a heavily forested coastal mountain canyon south of Carmel at 1,750 feet msl. The accident site is 85 miles south of Half Moon Bay, and 15 miles south of the well lit Monterey peninsula. The vicinity of the accident site is sparsely populated with few ground reference lights. The aircraft collided with redwood trees in a level flight attitude. The aircraft hobbs meter showed 2.5 elapsed hours since departure.
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: 82 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 34 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,418 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 2:49 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from MRY, 17 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.