NTSB Factual Report

On February 6, 2018, about 0654 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182T airplane, N3525T, impacted into an industrial storage facility in Santee, California. The private pilot, one passenger, and a family dog were fatally injured; another family dog was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged throughout the structure. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal cross-country flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight had departed Gillespie Field Airport (SEE), El Cajon, California, about 0645 and was destined for Eureka Airport (05U), Eureka, Nevada.

The tower at SEE was not open at the time the airplane departed; however, off-duty controllers were in the tower that was to open at 0700. One of the controllers who witnessed the accident called 911.

Witnesses in the surrounding area reported the presence of a low-level fog.

The accident flight was captured on video, and showed the airplane make a turn back to the east toward the airport. The airplane was observed entering and exiting the fog before the airplane entered a spin, and dropped below the roof-tops of several buildings.

Witnesses reported that the engine was not sputtering or backfiring but did sound like it was revving. They further reported that in the turn back to the east, the airplane was in a nose-high attitude, with the wings rocking back and forth before it started to spin and impact the ground.

The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.