Cessna 140, N89447, fatal accident occurred on August 17, 2025, near Shelter Cove Airport (0Q5), Shelter Cove, California

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N89447

- History of The Flight

On August 17, 2025, at about 1521 local time, a privately-registered Cessna 140, N89447, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Shelter Cove Airport (0Q5), Shelter Cove, California. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

Preliminary information indicates the airplane departed Shelter Cove (unknown which runway at this point) and "turned west, and shortly after plunged into the ocean approximately 100 yards offshore."

According to preliminary ADS-B data, the airplane arrived at Shelter Cove at about 1300 LT, after a flight from Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS/KSTS), Santa Rosa, California. The accident flight was not captured by any tracking sites.

- Pilot Information:

Unknown at this point.

According to online FAA records, the current registered owner holds a student pilot certificate, issued on 5/10/2021, and a second class FAA medical that was issued on June 2024.

- Aircraft Information:

The accident aircraft, serial number 8479, was manufactured in 1946. It was a single-engine, two-seat, conventional landing gear airplane powered by a Continental C-85 engine.

- Airport Information:

Shelter Cove Airport (0Q5) is a publicly-owned airport located 1 mile west of Shelter Cove, California. The airport field elevation was 73.4 ft. The airport features a single asphalt runway 12/30 that is 3407 ft long and 60 ft wide.

According to one of the airport remarks...

"EXPECT CROSSWINDS, DOWNDRAFTS AND EXTDD PERIODS OF FOG YEAR-ROUND."

- Weather:

(1) METAR:

The nearest weather station located at Rohnerville Airport (KFOT), Fortuna, California, reporting the following conditions:

At 1515 (6 minutes before the accident) noted: winds 350 at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds under at 2,700ft AGL, an overcast (OVC) layer at 3,300ft AGL, temperature 19°C, dew point 15°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury (inHg).

At 1535 (14 minutes after the accident) noted: winds 010 at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds under at 2,700ft AGL, an overcast (OVC) layer at 3,300ft AGL, temperature 20°C, dew point 14°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury (inHg).

METAR KFOT 172155Z AUTO 32009KT 10SM OVC031 19/14 A3004 RMK AO1

METAR KFOT 172215Z AUTO 35008KT 10SM FEW027 OVC033 19/15 A3004 RMK AO1 <<<<

METAR KFOT 172235Z AUTO 01008KT 10SM SCT027 OVC033 20/14 A3003 RMK AO1 <<<<

METAR KFOT 172255Z AUTO 35011KT 10SM OVC031 19/14 A3003 RMK AO1

(2) Area Forecast Discussion:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
210 PM PDT Sun Aug 17 2025

.SYNOPSIS...A chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms over
eastern Trinity County today. A gradual drying and warming trend
will develop this week, with further warming late in the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...After the frontal passage and light precipitation
observed Saturday, extensive stratus remains today. Early afternoon
satellite shows the low level clouds blanketing most of Humboldt
and Del Norte counties, with also a good portion of Mendocino
covered. This is due to a greatly deepened marine layer. There
was lower level shallow moisture contributing to patchy locally
dense fog, but that generally mixed out. Chances for fog are lower
tonight, with less coverage expected.

Soundings continue to show moisture at the 700 mb area with some
instability today, and forcing exists from passing shortwave
energy. Satellite imagery this early afternoon also shows some
billowing cumulus over the Yolla Bolly region and through eastern
Trinity County. These areas are where isolated afternoon showers
and a 10-20% chance for thunderstorms are forecast.

Moisture and instability mostly depart to start the work week
Monday. This will also mark the start of a gradual warming trend. A
shortwave perturbation will clip the northern region Wednesday, but
is expected to have little impacts other suppressing the greater
inevitable warmup. Beyond the passing of the shortwave, temperatures
will indeed further warm late in the week. Probability for isolated
warmer valleys to exceed 100 increases Thursday. Chances for
temperatures over 100 are highest Friday (75%) for the interior
valleys. Chances begin slowly dropping thereafter with a weak
signal from clusters of some troughing influence, but the heat may
linger longer through the weekend.

There are hints of some monsoonal moisture getting pulled in from
the SE next weekend. This would increase chances for
thunderstorms, but the quality of moisture and instability look
poor at this time. /JJW


&&

.AVIATION...Low clouds along the coast have been scattering and
lifting as a shortwave approaches. Currently, VFR conditions with
OVC layer around 3500-4000 feet, accompanied by some SCT layer
around 005 feet at ACV and CEC. Expect fluctuations in conditions
at the coastal terminals through 18/03Z, before IFR/LIFR
conditions redeveloped along the coast with low clouds and
visibility in FG/mist. Winds from W at around 5 kts, becoming very
light and variable after 3Z.

For inland areas: VFR conditions persist at UKI through the period.
Surface winds very light and variable, after 22Z becoming NW at
around 10kts with higher occasional gusts. There is the potential
for some isolated SHRA/TSRA across the eastern portion of Trinity
County this afternoon and early evening. /ZVS

- Additional Information:

no