Cessna 172P accident near Pacoima, California, March 10, 1984
On March 10, 1984 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52702, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacoima, California (Whiteman airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1984 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · Whiteman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52702 · registry record · serial 17274585
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE OVERFLIGHT OF THE UNCONTROLLED FIELD, BOTH PLTS NOTICED THAT THE WIND TEE INDICATED RWY 12 AS THE LANDING DIRECTION. DURING LANDING, THE ACFT FLOATED & TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2/3 DOWN THE RWY. THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE & TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SEVERAL ACFT MADE GO-AROUNDS DUE TO EXCESSIVE FLOATING. THE WIND TEE HADTO BE MANUALLY ALIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WIND SOCK, MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TEE. THE WIND SOCK WAS FADED & DIFFICULT TO DISCRIMINATE FROM THE BRIGHT ORANGE COLOR OF THE WIND TEE. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT REPORTED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH AT 15 KTS.
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: 900 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 463 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,725 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from BUR, 4 miles away
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.