Cessna 320 accident near Long Beach, California, May 14, 2006
On May 14, 2006 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N5799X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Daugherty Field). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain lateral control of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2006 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Daugherty Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N5799X · no longer on the register · serial 320-0699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The wing tip impacted the runway surface during takeoff and the pilot aborted the takeoff. The pilot said that the taxi and run-up were uneventful. During takeoff, he noted that the wind was coming from the left (south) and he set the flight controls for a crosswind takeoff. He advanced the throttles to takeoff power and rotated the airplane. As the airplane left the runway surface, the left wing was slightly low and he noticed that the airplane was not climbing. As he turned the airplane into the wind, the right wing dropped and the wing tip fuel tank impacted the runway. He stabilized the airplane and pulled the power to idle. The airplane stopped just beyond the runway. The pilot believed that a gust of wind or small microburst may have kept the airplane from climbing and influenced the right wing tip to impact the ground. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,160 hours in all; 138 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA
- Destination: VCV Victorville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25R, 6,192 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.