Cessna 182Q accident near Palo Alto, California, April 15, 1995
On April 15, 1995 at about 6:02 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N228PP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto Of Santa Clara airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate compensation for wind conditions by the private pilot, and failure of the flight instructor (CFI) to ensure that directional control of the aircraft was maintained. The gusty/crosswind (weather) condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1995 · about 6:02 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto Of Santa Clara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N228PP · no longer on the register · serial 18266162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING ROLLOUT, AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE ENCOUNTERING 'A STRONG GUST OF WIND (WHICH) PICKED UP THE LEFT WING AND LIFTED THE PLANE TO THE RIGHT.' THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN A WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE LOCAL WIND WAS '50 DEGREES OFF THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY,' AND 'WAS CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT THAN THAT WHICH WAS REPORTED ON THE ATIS.' THE INSTRUCTOR ALSO REPORTED THAT 'DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, A GUST OF WIND, POSSIBLY A DUST DEVIL, CAUGHT THE LEFT WING AND BEGAN LIFTING IT UP.' THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND EXITED THE RUNWAY DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE LEFT AILERON WAS FULLY DEFLECTED TO THE LEFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1995; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAO at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.