- Date
- October 1, 2015, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Avalon, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4286QCessna 172
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 17, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Long Beach FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20151001020909A
- Case key
- 92121
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's exceedance of the critical angle of attack in turbulent and downdraft conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain on final approach.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during his first approach to land he elected to go-around due to the crab angle and buffeting. On the second approach, he encountered downdrafts and moderate turbulence again on short final and applied power to go-around. During the go-around, the airplane continued to sink and impacted a cliff about 250 feet short of the runway threshold, and ultimately came to rest at the bottom of the cliff near a road. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. According to the airport manager, when the airplane was on final approach he announced on the common traffic advisory frequency, "wind 250 at 11 and use caution for down drafts and turbulence on short final." The accident pilot acknowledged the transmission. The airport manager continued to observe the airplane and witnessed the pitch angle continuously increase on final approach, and then he heard the engine power increase. Subsequently, the airport manager witnessed the airplane "stall" and "fall from view." The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during his first approach to land he elected to go-around due to the crab angle and buffeting. On the second approach, he encountered downdrafts and moderate turbulence again on short final and applied power to go-around. During the go-around, the airplane continued to sink and impacted a cliff about 250 feet short of the runway threshold, and ultimately came to rest at the bottom of the cliff near a road. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. According to the airport manager, when the airplane was on final approach he announced on the common traffic advisory frequency, "wind 250 at 11 and use caution for down drafts and turbulence on short final." The accident pilot acknowledged the transmission. The airport manager continued to observe the airplane and witnessed the pitch angle continuously increase on final approach, and then he heard the engine power increase. Subsequently, the airport manager witnessed the airplane "stall" and "fall from view." The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4286Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (L)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17260186
- Built
- 1971
- Airframe hours
- 9,172
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Beach Cities Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- Pk88 Aircraft Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 25, 2015
- Departed
- HHR · Hawthorne, CA
- Destination
- AVX · Avalon, CA
- Airport
- AVX · Catalina, runway 22, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 10, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 278.6 total · 103.9 in this make and model · 224.3 as pilot in command · 1.1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KAVX
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.