- Date
- December 22, 1994, 08:17 local (16:17 UTC)
- Place
- Long Beach, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N101LLCessna 185A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941222044179A
- Case key
- 29000
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 of the aircraft both during the landing and the attempted rejected landing maneuver.
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
According to the pilot, the aircraft touched down on runway 25R in a three-point attitude. The aircraft swerved to the right and he added power, which straightened the airplane's ground track. The aircraft then swerved to the left and the pilot elected to reject the landing. He stated that he added full power and the aircraft lifted off the ground. The pilot said he was unable to either climb out of ground effect or prevent the aircraft from drifting left toward a large commercial aircraft hangar. The pilot then put the aircraft back on the ground and it ground looped, damaging the wings.
Factual narrative
On December 22, 1994, at 0817 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 185A, N101LL, ground looped following a loss of control while landing at the Long Beach, California, airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and his one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at the Chino, California, airport on the day of the accident at 0750 as a local area personal flight.
According to the pilot, the aircraft touched down on runway 25R in a three-point attitude. The aircraft swerved to the right and he added power, which straightened the airplane's ground track. The aircraft then swerved to the left and the pilot elected to reject the landing. He stated that he added full power and the aircraft lifted off the ground. The pilot said he was unable to either climb out of ground effect or prevent the aircraft from drifting left toward a large commercial aircraft hangar. The pilot then put the aircraft back on the ground and it ground looped, damaging the wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N101LL
- Reported as
- Cessna 185A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-0484
- Airframe hours
- 6,568
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-VCF, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert J. Van Horn
- Registered owner
- Robert J. Van Horn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 1994 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Airport
- LGB · Long Beach, runway 25R, 6,192 × 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 710 total · 110 in this make and model · 619 as pilot in command · 59 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LGB
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 N101LL · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.