Cessna 172P accident near Santa Paula, California, March 30, 1987
On March 30, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N6339K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6339K · registry record · serial 17274185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A PLEASURE CROSS COUNTRY FLT THE PLT PRIOR TO ENTERING THE PATTERN NOTED THE WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED AS 060 DEGS AT APRX 16 KTS. THE PLT THEN ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RWY 4. ON FINAL APCH THE PLT HAD TO SLIP THE ACFT TO KEEP ALLIGNED WITH THE RWY. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE RWY FIRST THEN THE LEFT. APRX 300 FT DOWN THE RWY THE ACFT EXITED THE RWY TO THE LEFT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT WHICH WAS HEADING FOR A HANGAR APRX 300 FT AHEAD. THE PLT ADDED PWR AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE LEFT WING THEN COLLIDED WITH THE HANGAR AT APRX 18 FT AGL. THE PLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH A PARKED CAR AND CAME TO REST NEXT TO THE HANGAR.
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: 223 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 14, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from OXR, 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6339K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J 96 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Santa Paula Airport · nearest airport
- Van Nuys Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,097 in the last ten years
- California 27,897 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX87LA162.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.