What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 14, 2004, about 1900 pacific standard time, a Cessna 172S, N262TA, departed the taxiway while taxiing from landing and collided with terrain at Riverside Municipal Airport (ral), Riverside, California. The airplane was registered to irvin enterprises, and operated by the flight school of palm springs, under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The certified flight instructor, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed palm springs international airport (psp), palm springs, California, about 1800 PST, with a planned destination of ral. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. In an oral statement, the pilot reported that he had landed on runway 27 and was attempting to taxi to the ramp area. After taxiing off the runway, the controller cleared him to taxi to the ramp. He was unfamiliar with the airport and requested further instructions. In an effort to comply with what he thought the controller was telling him to do, he departed the taxiway. He continued down a grassy area and collided with a median.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 14, 2004, ABOUT 1900 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172S, N262TA, DEPARTED THE TAXIWAY WHILE TAXIING FROM LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (RAL), RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO IRVIN ENTERPRISES, AND OPERATED BY THE FLIGHT SCHOOL OF PALM SPRINGS, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PSP), PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1800 PST, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF RAL. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED. IN AN ORAL STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 27 AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AREA. AFTER TAXIING OFF THE RUNWAY, THE CONTROLLER CLEARED HIM TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT AND REQUESTED FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. IN AN EFFORT TO COMPLY WITH WHAT HE THOUGHT THE CONTROLLER WAS TELLING HIM TO DO, HE DEPARTED THE TAXIWAY. HE CONTINUED DOWN A GRASSY AREA AND COLLIDED WITH A MEDIAN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N262TA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.