Cessna 182A accident near Paso Robles, California, June 19, 1999
On June 19, 1999 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4824D, was destroyed in an accident near Paso Robles, California (Paso Robles Municipal airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to set the trim as prescribed by the published check list. This led to a steep climb angle which caused the airspeed to decay, resulting in a stall at an altitude too low to allow recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1999 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Paso Robles Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4824D · no longer on the register · serial 34924
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane quickly became airborne and started an extremely steep climb for several hundred feet, which was followed by an equally steep descent until the airplane collided with terrain. The airplane had just completed one jump flight, and a different pilot fueled the airplane in preparation for the accident flight. The airplane was configured with one seat on the left side for the pilot and a 2-inch pad with seat belts for up to four skydivers. One skydiver was kneeling facing forward in the most aft position of the cabin, two were facing aft in the middle of the cabin, and one (the survivor) was leaning against a bulkhead in the front right position and facing aft. The survivor was secured by a lap belt and said the other jumpers were strapped in as well. His harness moved him away from the instrument panel, but his head was level with the pilot's thighs. The pilot did not do a run-up and taxied straight onto the runway for takeoff. After takeoff the survivor observed the pilot "furiously working" her right hand from liftoff to ground contact. She was reaching right but it was not determined whether she was rolling something or working her arm up and down. She maintained her normal sitting position and did not move forward or aft. One of the first rescuers noted the fatally injured pilot and the survivor were suspended by their seat belts as the airplane lay inverted; the other occupants were ejected from the airplane. The seat belt behind the pilot was dangling unbuckled when rescuers reached the airplane. When the Safety Board investigator arrived on scene, all of the belts were observed to be hanging vertically and unbuckled. Post accident investigation revealed no discrepancies with the airframe, engine, or seat belts. Both the before start and before takeoff check lists instructed the pilot to verify that the adjustable stabilizer control wheel was in the "takeoff range." The system's section noted control wheel forces would be very heavy if the stabilizer was not properly set.
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
- Flight time: 1,230 hours in all; 64 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,170 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 1998
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB at 11:02 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,009 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PRB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4824D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.