Cessna 182A accident near Petaluma, California, July 11, 2004
On July 11, 2004 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4094D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petaluma, California (Petaluma Municipal 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 pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2004 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4094D · registry record · serial 34794
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's nose gear collapsed while landing. The airplane bounced upon touchdown and continued to porpoise down the runway. The nose gear fork separated from the lower strut, resulting in the nose impacting the runway. Examination of the nose tire revealed a flat spot and several cuts surrounding it. The nose wheel was broken and pieces of the wheel penetrated the tire, destroying the inner tube.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,600 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 5,900 as pilot in command; 350 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 18, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,008 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2004; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APC Napa CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: O69 Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from APC, 15 miles away
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.