- Date
- December 8, 1995, 16:45 local (Dec 9, 1995, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ocotillo Wells, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4203LCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951208040199A
- Case key
- 29351
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 failure of the pilot to maintain a proper glide path on final approach.
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 pilot said that his landing approach was low, and that the aircraft's nosewheel struck a 2-foot-high flood control berm short of the runway and separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then landed on the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted, 150 feet east of the berm. There were no mechanical problems.
Factual narrative
On December 8, 1995, at 1645 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172, N4203L, nosed over during landing at the Ocotillo airport, Ocotillo Wells, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The aircraft was substantially damaged; however, the pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The flight departed from Gillespie Field at San Diego, California, at 1610.
In his written and oral statements, the pilot said that his landing approach to runway 9 was low, and that the aircraft's nosewheel struck a 2-foot-high flood control berm short of the runway and separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then landed on the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted, 150 feet east of the berm. He reported no mechanical problems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4203L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254272
- Airframe hours
- 1,680
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert P. Damberger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1995 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- SEE · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- L9O
- Airport
- L9O · Ocotillo, runway 9, 2,475 × 150 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
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 250 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRM, 28 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.