Cessna 182Q accident near Eureka, California, March 31, 1989
On March 31, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N96642, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eureka, California (Murray 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eureka, California · Murray Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N96642 · registry record · serial 18266791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT WAS PRACTICING A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD & BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE PLT REGAINED CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIED BACK TO THE PARKING RAMP, WHERE PROPELLER DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED.
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: 130 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,057 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 15, 1989; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nrothern Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N96642 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX89LA149.