Cessna 172N accident near Avalon, California, July 4, 1990
On July 4, 1990, a Cessna 172N, registered N2810E, was destroyed in an accident near Avalon, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING, DECISION, AND HIS INTENTIONAL LOW FLYING NEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S NOT MAINTAINING/FOLLOWING PROPER VFR PROCEDURES, THE RELATED DISTRACTION OF THE OPEN CABIN DOOR, AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TO GROUND ACTIVITIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1990
- Place
- Avalon, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2810E · no longer on the register · serial 17271331
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IT WAS THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER'S 12TH BIRTHDAY. THE DAUGHTER WAS ATTENDING A SUMMER CAMP ON CATALINA ISLAND. THE PILOT PLANNED TO OVERFLY THE CAMP AND SURPRISE HIS DAUGHTER BY TOSSING HER A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S SON AND A WORK ASSOCIATE WERE INVITED ALONG FOR THE AIRPLANE RIDE. WITNESSES AT THE CAMP OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY OVERHEAD BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, AND THE PRESENT WAS TOSSED OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. A BOX-LIKE CANYON WITH RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE CAMP. THE PILOT FLEW INTO THE CANYON AND THEN MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO EXIT. WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT BANK AND COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF THE CANYON.
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: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,261 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: B&E Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 11:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.