Cessna 182S accident near French Valley, California, October 29, 2000
On October 29, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182S, registered N7279B, was substantially damaged in an accident near French Valley, California (French Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow procedures and directives contained in the information manual. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor examiner/passenger's inattention to the sequence of events.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- French Valley, California · French Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182S · all 182Ss on the register
- Registration
- N7279B · registry record · serial 18280542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was to practice short field takeoff procedures for use during trips to Mexico. A flight instructor/examiner was with him as a passenger. They departed on runway 18, following the FAA approved information manual procedure for short field takeoffs. The first takeoff was a rolling start using 20 degrees of flaps, full power, and the yoke all the way back. After liftoff, the instructor/examiner suggested that he level off and land on the remaining runway, which they did. The second takeoff was from a full stop at the beginning of the runway. The pilot said he powered up the engine with the flaps set at 20 degrees and the control yoke full back, and he released the brakes. At rotation the tail tie down ring and tail cone contacted the runway and the airplane pitched up so steeply that he gave control to the instructor/examiner. He stated that the instructor yelled, 'I don't have control.' The airplane rolled off onto the right wing hitting the runway then quartered forward onto the left wing and nose just off of the runway. The Cessna 182S information manual for short field takeoff calls for wing flaps 20 degrees, brakes applied, full power and 2,400 rpm, lean mixture to obtain maximum power fuel flow placard value, release brakes, and elevator control to maintain 'slightly tail low attitude.' Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the flaps were in the up position at the time of ground impact.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 478 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 255 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 395 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 2000; 360 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from F70
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.