- Date
- September 20, 1989, 17:30 local (Sep 21, 1989, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Zenia, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8579MCessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890920035619A
- Case key
- 26505
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
Failure of the pilot to realize that the flaps did not extend, which resulted in excessive airspeed. The seized flap actuator was a related factor.
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
The VFR flight, conducted under 14 CFR 135, was routine until arriving at shannon airport. After circling the arpt, the pilot executed two go-arounds, because he had not slowed the airplane sufficiently. He stated that he landed on the third approach, but the airplane's airspeed was too high. Realizing that he was going to overshoot the end of the runway, the pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane. This caused it to exit the right side of the runway and collide with a fence. A post-acdnt exam disclosed that the flap actuator jackscrew had seized in the up position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8579M
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18264633
- Airframe hours
- 6,009
- Engine
- Continental O-470-S, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Comstock Air Services
- Registered owner
- Comstock Air Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 25, 1989 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- SMF · Sacramento, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 2Q4 · Shannon, runway 18, 2,520 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 960 total · 102 in this make and model · 920 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8579M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.