# NTSB WPR25LA304: Cessna 182A, N2079G, Avalon, CA, September 29, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 29, 2025, 14:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place: Avalon, CA
- Coordinates: 33.40565, -118.41751 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4057&lon=-118.4175&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 25, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201798
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA304
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201798/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201798
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA304

## Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to land with a tailwind and a downslope to the runway.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was landing on the runway with a tailwind and a down slope. The airplane touched down about one quarter to one third down the runway. The pilot realized that there was insufficient runway remaining to stop and chose to veer off the runway. In doing so, the airplane impacted a berm which substantially damaged the firewall. While taxiing to get to the taxiway, the airplane impacted a post which substantially damaged left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of failures that would have precluded normal operations.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2079G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2079G), registered now, S/N 51379, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A
- Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 51379
- Year built: 1958
- Airframe hours: 3917.3
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 2025
- Departed: SEE, El Cajon, CA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: AVX, Catalina Airport, runway 04, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 13, 2023; seat: left; flight hours: 5,618 total, 3,251 in this make and model, 4,693 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 39 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: AVX, 32 nm away
- METAR: METAR KAVX 251951Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 21/15 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP150 T02110150

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250929016489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250929016489A), Sep 29, 2025: Cessna 182A, Avalon, CA, Substantial damage. On September 29, 2025, at approximately 1345 local time, a Cessna 182, [privacy data omitted], operated under 14 CFR part 91 by a commercial pilot with an…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201798. 6.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19560499&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA304%20-%20N2079G%20-%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 238 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19596466&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20for%20WPR25LA304-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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