Cessna 172M accident near Torrance, California, October 30, 1990
On October 30, 1990 at about 10:16 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9592V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Torrance, California (Torrance Munic. airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE, MADE AN IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM THE SUBSEQUENT BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE RUDDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1990 · about 10:16 pm local time
- Place
- Torrance, California · Torrance Munic. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9592V · no longer on the register · serial 17264394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED ABOUT A HALF-HOUR OF DUAL INSTRUCTION FROM A CFI. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT EXECUTED 9 TOUCH & GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN A COMPETENT MANNER AND HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO PERFORM HIS INITIAL SOLO FLIGHT. ON THE FIRST SOLO LANDING THE STUDENT PILOT IMPROPERLY FLARED AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND BEGAN TO PORPOISE. THE STUDENT FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING AND WHEN THE PORPOISE STOPPED THE AIRPLANE WAS ANGLED TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT IMPROPERLY APPLIED EXCESSIVE LEFT RUDDER AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INTO A GROUND LOOP, EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 150-FT WIDE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE SOFT TERRAIN AND NOSED DOWN.
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: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ben Bow Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TOA at 9:47 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:23 pm from TOA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.