Cessna 182 accident near Fallbrook, California, August 24, 2016
On August 24, 2016 at about 9:25 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 182, registered N4810N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fallbrook, California (Fallbrook Community Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to go-around and the subsequent long landing and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2016 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Fallbrook, California · Fallbrook Community Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 Q, built 1980 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N4810N · no longer on the register · serial 18267384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during a Civil Air Patrol evaluation flight, he decided to demonstrate a power off landing to the pilot being evaluated. The flight instructor further reported that the airplane touched down within the first 400 feet of the 2,160-foot runway and reported that the brakes were ineffective during the landing roll. The pilot witness who observed the landing from the left seat reported that he observed heavy braking, some swerving, a loss of control, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway near the departure end of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and the right wing lift strut. In a Civil Air Patrol online system, the pilot witness reported that over the runway threshold the airspeed was 84 knots, the altitude was 20 feet, and the airplane touchdown zone was 1/2 to 2/3 down the runway, with 1000 feet of runway remaining. The local flight school provided video surveillance of the landing. The video showed the airplane still airborne while in the camera frame, which was about 700 feet past the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently moved out of camera view and was still airborne. The video did not show the airplane touch down on the runway. In a post-accident examination four days after the accident by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), both brakes were found to be functional. In a post-accident inspection almost two weeks after the accident by the repair mechanic, it was revealed that the left brake was working, but the right brake was "full of air." The mechanic reported that when the airplane was upside down air can enter into the hydraulic system, so "all bets are off". The mechanic further reported that there were no flat or bald spots on the tires.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Capability exceeded
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,400 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 6,900 as pilot in command; 4,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 19, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: August 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,069.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-U-17 (piston); 3,254 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L18 Fallbrook CA at 7:20 pm
- Destination: L18 Fallbrook CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,160 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KNFG, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement in Cap | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Instructor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of Unknown) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Video File | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.