Cessna 172S accident near Santa Paula, California, February 22, 2002
On February 22, 2002 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N327ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of the wrong landing runway due to his failure to correctly interpret wind indicators, which resulted in his landing with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2002 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N327ME · registry record · serial 172S8574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot landed long, overran the runway's end, and collided with a block wall. The uncontrolled airport was equipped with several windsocks and a free-swinging tetrahedron. However, the student failed to correctly interpret the prevailing wind direction indicators and landed with a 10- to 15-knot tailwind. He was unable to stop before overrunning the runway's end.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 127 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 683 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 2002; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Channel Islands Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 9:10 pm
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from CMA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.