# NTSB LAX03CA266: Cessna 172M, N64291, Riverside, CA, August 24, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 24, 2003, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place: Riverside, CA
- Coordinates: 33.951946, -117.445274
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9519&lon=-117.4453&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 57806
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03CA266
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57806/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03CA266

## Probable cause

The student pilot's misjudged distance and altitude, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.  Also causal was the instructor's delayed remedial action.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Undershoot, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - distance/altitude - misjudged, dual student (cause)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - terrain condition - berm

## Analysis

The airplane collided with terrain during landing.  The pilots were practicing a short field landing with the student pilot at the controls.  The airplane got low on short final.  The CFI recognized that the airplane was too low, took over the airplane controls, and simultaneously added power and raised the nose.  The airplane struck a berm that led up to the approach threshold of the runway.  The airplane bounced and came to rest on the approach end of runway.

## Factual narrative

On August 24, 2003, about 1320 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N64291, collided with terrain during the landing approach at Riverside Municipal Airport, Riverside, California.  The airplane was operated by the owner/student pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91.  The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.  The flight originated at Corona Municipal Airport, Corona, California, about 1240.

In a written statement, the CFI stated that he and the student were practicing a short field landing with the student pilot at the controls.  The student pilot allowed the airplane to get too low on final.  The CFI recognized that the airplane was too low, took over the airplane controls, simultaneously adding power and raising the nose.  The airplane struck a berm that led up to the approach threshold of  runway 27.  The airplane bounced and came to rest on the approach end of runway 27.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N64291](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N64291), registered now, S/N 17265144, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17265144
- Engines: Lycoming O-320E2D reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Edward Parks
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed: AJO, Corona, CA
- Destination: RAL, Riverside, CA
- Airport: KRAL, Riverside Municipal, runway 27

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 27; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 2,030 total, 510 in this make and model, 125 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days
- Student pilot; age 38; student; medical: class 3; flight hours: 97 total, 16 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20030824026099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030824026099A), Aug 24, 2003: Cessna 172M, Riverside, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) A flight instructor and a student pilot flying N64291 a Cessna 172M were practicing a short field landing at Riverside airport. The instructor directed…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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