Nanchang CJ6A accident near Keene, California, April 27, 2017
On April 27, 2017 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 1975 Nanchang CJ6A, registered N192NG, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (descent) near Keene, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control following a descent into clouds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2017 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Keene, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Nanchang CJ6A, built 1975 · all CJ6As on the register
- Registration
- N192NG · no longer on the register · serial 3051217
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was part of a formation of four airplanes making a cross-country flight during day visual meteorological conditions over a broken-to-overcast cloud layer. During the flight, the accident airplane, which was positioned left of the lead airplane, began drifting to the left of and behind the formation, which resulted in the lead pilot losing sight of the airplane. The lead pilot twice asked the accident pilot if he was okay and received affirmative responses. However, the pilot in trail lost sight of the accident airplane as it dropped below and behind his airplane, and the pilot positioned to the right of the lead pilot observed the accident airplane descend in a wings level, slight nose-down attitude into clouds below and behind their position. Despite multiple attempts, no further radio communication was established with the accident pilot. A witness who was located near the accident site saw the airplane descend from the clouds in a near vertical attitude until she lost sight of it behind a nearby ridgeline. Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane impacted terrain in a near vertical attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing revealed ethanol in the pilot's muscle tissue; however, no ethanol was found in brain tissue making it likely the ethanol was produced postmortem. The pilot had a history of coronary artery disease and was at an increased risk for a sudden cardiovascular event; however, there is insufficient evidence to determine if his heart disease contributed to this accident.
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (descent) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (descent)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,901 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Huosai HS-6A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 7:55 pm
- Destination: PTV Porterville CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 26 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KTSP, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 25, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Witness | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Formation Pilots | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Son of the Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Accident Site, Airframe, and Engine Examination Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.