Cessna 170B accident near San Diego, California, May 11, 2002
On May 11, 2002 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3462C, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Brown Field). It was an instructional 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 failure of the dual student to maintain directional control of the airplane and the instructor's delayed the remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop. A factor in the accident was the gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2002 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Brown Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3462C · registry record · serial 26505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off of the runway, ground looped, and impacted a ditch. The flight instructor reported that the student was flying as they entered the traffic pattern with the intention of performing touch-and-go pattern operations. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the right. By the time the flight instructor took the controls, the airplane was headed off of the runway. He added power in an attempt to abort the landing; however, the airplane veered off of the runway. The instructor noted that he let the student go too far before he intervened. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 28 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,448 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 2001; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSEE Gillespie Field CA at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 7,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KSDM
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.