Cessna 172RG accident near Camarillo, California, October 12, 2003
On October 12, 2003 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6543V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camarillo, California (Camarillo 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 fracture and failure of the left landing gear actuator. Contributing to the accident was the operator's failure to comply with the manufacturer's service bulletin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2003 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6543V · registry record · serial RG0766
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The left main landing gear strut collapsed on landing and the airplane departed the runway to the left. While airborne, prior to landing, the pilot heard a "clank" sound and thought it was unusual. When he lowered the landing gear he got an unsafe indication for the left main strut. The pilot decided to return to the airport he departed from. After troubleshooting and circling the airport, the pilot decided to make a landing attempt with the gear down. The post accident examination of the landing gear strut actuator body revealed numerous fractures and signs consistent with an overload event. A Service Bulletin (SB) had been issued by the manufacturer directing landing gear actuator rework and inspection for cracks (in the location of the failures on the accident actuator) at 3,000 hours total time, and at each 500 hour interval thereafter. The SB advised that failure to comply could result in failure of the actuator. Examination of the airplane's maintenance logbooks did not show compliance with the subject SB. The airframe had accumulated a total time in service of 7,171 hours.
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: 185 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,171 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 17, 2003; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCMA Camarillo CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KSBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from KCMA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.