NTSB Factual Report

History of the Flight

On December 31, 1994, about 1430 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182B, N2569G, collided with mountainous terrain about 7 miles north of Rancho Cucamonga, California. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. The airplane was operated as a personal flight by the registered aircraft owner/pilot. The flight departed the Cable Airport, Upland, California, about 1300 hours. There was no flight plan filed for the local flight, and the airplane was reported missing over 8 months.

The United States Forest Service reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that a Cessna aircraft identified by the registration number as the missing aircraft was observed "flying low and buzzing" the Mountain High Ski Resort in Wrightwood, California. The ski resort is about 18 miles north of the Cable Airport on the north slopes of the San Gabriel Mountain Range. There were no reports of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) in the San Gabriel Mountain Region. A search had been initiated by the Civil Air Patrol, but has been impeded for 4 days due to severe weather and mountain obscuration in the San Gabriel Mountains. The airplane was found by a hiker, and was subsequently reported to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office on September 25, 1995.

Pilot Information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate which was issued on August 5, 1986, with a single engine airplane rating. The most recent third-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on January 24, 1985, and contained the limitation that correcting lenses for near and distant vision be worn while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate.

No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed in this report was obtained from a review of the airmen FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City.

Meteorological Information

The weather observation station at Brackett Airport, La Verne California, is located 12.5 nautical miles southwest of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station is 1,011 feet mean sea level (msl).

At 1255 hours, the record surface observation was reporting, in part: sky condition and ceiling, partial obscuration, 25,000 feet overcast; visibility, 4 statute miles.

Wreckage and Impact Information

The aircraft wreckage came to rest in a shale rock chute on the west slopes of a ridge south of Cucamonga Peak. The elevation of the accident site was 6,480 feet mean sea level. The coordinates of the accident site are 34 degrees, 12.83 minutes north, by 117 degrees, 34.58 minutes west. The longitudinal axis of the airplane was oriented on a 240-degree bearing. The leading edges of both wings exhibited impact damage. Both fiberglass wing tips were found separated. The leading edges of the wing tips were crushed. The leading edge of the right wing was uniformly damaged and exhibited corrugated buckling along the entire span. The left wing was burnt and exhibited impact damage to the leading edge. The right wing flap panel was found attached to the wing in a fully retracted position.

The nose gear and right main landing gear were found separated with portions of the fiberglass fairing still attached. The leading edges of the separated landing gear fairings were crushed. The left main landing gear was found attached to the landing gear strut and was exposed to a postimpact fire. The steel chord from the tire and wheel brake were found on the axle.

The upper engine cowling was found down slope separated from the rest of the wreckage. The right front portion of the upper engine cowling exhibited diagonal buckling.

The engine and propeller were found forward of the empennage and connected to the rest of the wreckage via burnt electrical cables and engine control cables. The propeller remained attached to the engine. Both blades exhibited chordwise scoring on the chambered side and leading edge nicks and gouges. About 6 inches of one blade tip was found separated. The separated tip was found adjacent to the respective blade. A radius was noted on both broken ends at the separation. Alignment of the broken pieces exhibited bending in a forward aspect.

The engine was identified as a 6-cylinder Continental. The engine was found attached to the firewall by tubular steel mounts. The mounts were found bent, closing the distance between the firewall and engine. The number 6 cylinder exhibited impact damage. A portion of the leading edge of the cylinder head and valve cover were broken exposing the valve springs. The right magneto was missing and appeared to have been burned off. The spark plug leads for both magnetos were missing and also appeared to have burned. A data plate was observed on the top right side with a embossed serial number "68961-9-L-4." According to the engine manufacturer, the serial number corresponds to an O-470 model engine.

The cockpit and cabin were destroyed by fire. Two tubular steel bucket seat-type frames and one tubular steel bench-type seat frame were found without upholstery. Skeletal remains were found in one of the bucket-type seat frames located adjacent to the left rudder pedals. The airplane's instrument panel, flight instruments, and electrical switches were destroyed by fire. The airplane data plate was not found.

Several burnt "D" cell size alkaline batteries were found in the cabin area oriented in a manner consistent with emergency locator transmitter batteries.

The forward area of the empennage was burnt exposing the rudder and elevator control cables. The cables were traced from the flight controls to the cockpit area and were found continuous. Continuity of the aileron controls was also traced from the cockpit area to the ailerons.

The vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder, and elevators did not exhibit any significant impact damage. The paint on the vertical stabilizer was noted to be white in color; the paint on the horizontal stabilizer and elevators appeared to be black. The rudder was painted three colors in a horizontal scheme. The upper 50 percent of the rudder was blue. The bottom of the rudder was black. A 4-inch horizontal white stripe with "CESSNA" in black letters bounded the blue and black regions.

Medical and Pathological Information

A post mortem examination was conducted by the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office on September 28, 1995. There were no suitable specimens for toxicological analysis.

Additional Information

Wreckage Release

The Safety Board did not take custody of any of the airplane wreckage. The wreckage remains at the accident scene.

NTSB Probable Cause

the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate altitude above mountainous terrain.