- Date
- May 18, 1990, 13:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Novato, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6816ECessna 172A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900518016819I
- Case key
- 26811
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Lack of total experienceFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - ditch
Analysis
During the landing flare the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft. The aircraft landed beside the runway and impacted an open ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6816E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272071
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dragon Fly Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- APC · Napa, CA
- Destination
- 056
- Airport
- 056 · Gnoss Field, runway 31, 3,300 × 60 ft, asphalt
N6816ERegistration cancelled Jul 14, 2011 · Cessna 172NAirframe modelCessna 172NEngine modelLycoming 0-320 series
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 6 in this make and model · 70 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.