Cessna 182M accident near Bakersfield, California, October 7, 1990
On October 7, 1990 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N70892, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield). 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 FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1990 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N70892 · registry record · serial 18259410
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INTENDED TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN IN ORDER TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND FULL STOP LANDINGS AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE FIRST LANDING THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE ALTITUDE- HE BEGAN THE FLARE AT ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO PORPOISE SERVERAL TIMES UNTIL COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT ACCRUED ONLY 2.9 FLIGHT HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AND THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR. THE PILOT RECEIVED 2.6 HOURS OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION ABOUT 6 WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND HAD NOT FLOWN ANY AIRPLANE SINCE RECEIVING THE INSTRUCTION UNTIL THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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: 129 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,875 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1989; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BFL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 LAX91LA007.