What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 29, 2025, at approximately 1345 local time, a Cessna 182, privacy data omitted, operated under 14 CFR part 91 by a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, experienced a runway excursion following a long landing on runway 4 at Catalina Airport (kavx), Avalon, California. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There were no injuries.
The aircraft departed gillespie field (see), el cajon, CA, under VFR en route to Catalina Airport (kavx). Upon arrival, the pilot reported that low clouds precluded safe use of runway 22. He elected to land on runway 4, which has a 1.8% downhill slope and a light tailwind component.
The aircraft touched down approximately one-quarter to one-third down the 3,000-foot runway. During the landing roll, the pilot determined that the aircraft would not stop before the runway end. Due to the steep drop-off and obscuring clouds near the approach end of runway 22, the pilot elected not to attempt a go-around.
The aircraft departed the paved surface, traversed a small berm, and sustained firewall damage. During subsequent taxi operations around a drainage ditch to return to the ramp, the aircraft’s left wing struck a wooden post, causing additional damage to the wing leading edge and aileron. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. There was no airport property damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 182, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WITH AN INSTRUMENT RATING, EXPERIENCED A RUNWAY EXCURSION FOLLOWING A LONG LANDING ON RUNWAY 4 AT CATALINA AIRPORT (KAVX), AVALON, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GILLESPIE FIELD (SEE), EL CAJON, CA, UNDER VFR EN ROUTE TO CATALINA AIRPORT (KAVX). UPON ARRIVAL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT LOW CLOUDS PRECLUDED SAFE USE OF RUNWAY 22. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 4, WHICH HAS A 1.8% DOWNHILL SLOPE AND A LIGHT TAILWIND COMPONENT.
THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY ONE-QUARTER TO ONE-THIRD DOWN THE 3,000-FOOT RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT STOP BEFORE THE RUNWAY END. DUE TO THE STEEP DROP-OFF AND OBSCURING CLOUDS NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 22, THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE PAVED SURFACE, TRAVERSED A SMALL BERM, AND SUSTAINED FIREWALL DAMAGE. DURING SUBSEQUENT TAXI OPERATIONS AROUND A DRAINAGE DITCH TO RETURN TO THE RAMP, THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT WING STRUCK A WOODEN POST, CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE WING LEADING EDGE AND AILERON. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. THERE WAS NO AIRPORT PROPERTY DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.