Cessna 182E accident near Avalon, California, December 7, 1989
On December 7, 1989 at about 5:51 pm local time, a Cessna 182E, registered N2957Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Avalon, California (Avalon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO GO AROUND WHEN HE HAD TOO MUCH SPEED AND INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE UNEVEN TERRAIN BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1989 · about 5:51 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · Avalon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N2957Y · no longer on the register · serial 18253957
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT'S APPROACH TO THE 3240 FT RUNWAY ON SANTA CATALINA ISLAND WAS HIGH AND FAST. THE PLT STATED THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WENT OFF THE DEPARTURE END & DOWN A HILL, THEN NOSED OVER. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. THERE WAS NO REPORTED MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 334 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,660 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aquila Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,240 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.