Cessna 172R accident near Camarillo, California, March 25, 2002
On March 25, 2002 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N2630U, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2002 · about 6:40 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 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2630U · registry record · serial 17280568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was en route from Torrance to Santa Barbara, California, on a solo cross-country flight with a planned intermediate stop at Camarillo. On his first approach to runway 26 at Camarillo, he was uncomfortable with the approach and turbulence and made a go-around. On the second approach he made a normal landing, near the centerline. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right toward the runway edge, and he believed it was better to bring the airplane to a stop instead of initiating a go-around. The airplane left the runway edge and went into a gravel area where the pilot continued braking; however, the gravel ended and the airplane went into a plowed agricultural field where the nosewheel dug in and the airplane nosed over.
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: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 6:05 pm
- Destination: CMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 6,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:41 pm from CMA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 LAX02LA115.