- Date
- July 1, 2007, 18:23 local (Jul 2, 2007, 01:23 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N214GZCessna 172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070701017149A
- Case key
- 66121
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 failure to maintain directional control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After touchdown, the airplane veered off the runway and struck a taxiway light. The pilot stated that after landing a gust of wind struck the airplane, and it veered to the left of the runway. After the airplane departed the runway it crossed an intersecting runway and struck a taxiway light. The nose and left landing gear collapsed, and the empennage sustained substantial damage. The airplane came to rest upright on the grass margin bordering the runway.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 2007, about 1823 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N214GZ, veered off the runway and collided with runway lights at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Santa Barbara, California. Van Nuys Flight Center was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Van Nuys, California, about 1700. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
A Santa Barbara Airport Patrol Officer interviewed the pilot after the accident. The pilot stated that prior to landing he requested a wind check; tower personnel reported winds from 150 degrees at 6 knots. He continued his approach and after landing on runway 25, felt a 'burst of wind.' The airplane veered to the left, departed runway 25, traveled over an adjacent grassy area, and crossed runway 15R. He stated that he was not able to correct the airplane back to the runway and struck a taxiway light, then came to rest upright on the grass south of runway 25.
The nose and left landing gear collapsed, and the empennage sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N214GZ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9862
- Airframe hours
- 655
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Van Nuys Flight Center, doing business as Van Nuys Flight Center
- Registered owner
- G&Z LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · June 1, 2007 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- SBA · Santa Barbara, CA
- Airport
- SBA · Santa Barbara Muni, runway 25, 6,052 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 140 total · 120 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- SBA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.