Cessna 180D accident near Santa Paula, California, July 4, 2011
On July 4, 2011 at about 3:21 am local time, a Cessna 180D, registered N6451X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a telephone line while flying at a low altitude in dusk lighting conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2011 · about 3:21 am local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180D · all 180Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6451X · no longer on the register · serial 18050951
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A pilot-rated witness reported observing the accident airplane conduct a series of touch-and-go landings at the airport before it left the airport traffic pattern. The witness stated that the airplane ascended to an altitude of about 100 feet above ground level and traveled in a westerly heading toward a nearby river. The witness further reported that the engine sounded normal and the airplane never appeared to climb higher. A second witness located near the accident site reported hearing the sound of an airplane for a few seconds before the sound suddenly stopped, and the witness then observed a fire within the nearby river bed. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck an unmarked telephone line about 85 feet above the ground while traveling in a westerly direction. The recorded sunset was about 9 minutes prior to the time of the accident, and the end of civil twilight was about 21 minutes later. It is likely that due to the dusk lighting conditions at the time of the accident, the pilot could not see the telephone line. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Low light › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,930 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,596 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 3:00 am
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from CMA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.