Cessna 172 accident near Camarillo, California, April 20, 2016
On April 20, 2016 at about 6:43 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 172, registered N6616D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camarillo, California (Camarillo airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's incorrect pitch control input, resulting in a porpoise during landing and substantial damage to the airplane's firewall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2016 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1979 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6616D · registry record · serial 17272903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, during the second approach of his first solo flight he noticed that the wind direction changed from 230 degrees magnetic to 210 degrees magnetic, and the wind speed increased from 5 knots to 10 knots. He further reported that the traffic within the pattern was congested with five aircraft. He reported that during his approach, he fixated on his crosswind correction and touched down on the runway too fast, and the airplane bounced. He affirmed that his reaction to the bounce was to pitch the nose down and consequently the airplane porpoised down the runway. Substantial damage was sustained to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- 551092 during descent - normal
- 551090 during descent - normal
- 551094 during descent - normal
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Ratings: none, none, none, none
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,242.5 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, April 14, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA
- Destination: CMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,013 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°C, dew point 30°C
- Altimeter: 29.950001 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KCMA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA202.