Cessna 172M accident near Rosamond, California, November 16, 2002
On November 16, 2002 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N548RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rosamond, California (Rosamond Skypark Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue failure of left main landing gear strut at the upper fuselage aft attachment hole, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2002 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Rosamond, California · Rosamond Skypark Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N548RM · no longer on the register · serial 17262648
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the landing rollout, after the pilot applied the brakes, the left main landing gear collapsed, which damaged the wing spar. The landing gear strut and associated hardware were examined by the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed that an area of fatigue was noted on the aft outboard side of the upper attachment hole, and displayed corrosion pitting and fatigue cracking. Machining marks were also present, and may have accelerated the corrosion process. The airplane went through a 100-hour inspection 8 months prior to the accident. The inspection included a check of the landing gear.
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: 469 hours in all; 405 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 376 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,729.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 13, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunquest Air Specialties INC
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Los Angeles CA at 1:30 am
- Destination: L00 Rosamond CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PMD, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.