Cessna 172P accident near Fullerton, California, October 27, 1985
On October 27, 1985 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N98954, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1985 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N98954 · registry record · serial 17276384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT THE STUDENT PLT, WHO HAD A TOTAL OF 5 HRS OF FLT TIME, ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED TO THE 20 DEG POSITION. THE ACFT BALLOONED, & THE CFI TOOK CONTROL & ELECTED TO COMPLETE THE LANDING. INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINED & THE ACFT OVERRAN ITS END, TRAVERSED A DRAINAGE DITCH AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE CFI REPORTED THAT, MECHANICALLY, THE ACFT WAS IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE EFFECT REMOVING THE 20 DEG OF FLAPS WOULD HAVE ON THE ACFT'S STOPPING DISTANCE, SO HE LEFT THE FLAPS EXTENDED.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,017 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 868 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 166 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 1985; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Aviation CO., INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from FUL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX86LA027.