Cessna 182M accident near Fallbrook, California, November 28, 1996
On November 28, 1996 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N70967, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fallbrook, California (Fallbrook Comm. Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's selection of a runway with a tailwind component and his maintaining an excessive airspeed on final approach, which resulted in a late touchdown and a high ground speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1996 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Fallbrook, California · Fallbrook Comm. Airpark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N70967 · registry record · serial 18259438
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that after going around from his first landing attempt on the 2,160-foot-long runway because his airspeed was too high on short final, he then remained in the traffic pattern to make another landing attempt. He reported that on his subsequent landing attempt, he was again high and reduced the power to idle. The aircraft then developed a high sink rate with a slow airspeed and the pilot added power. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway and the aircraft overran the pavement end, proceeded down a hill, and collided with a ditch. The closest official aviation weather reporting station noted winds from 310 degrees at 6 knots. Based upon this weather report, the aircraft had a computed 4-knot tailwind during the attempted landing on runway 18. Airport personnel reported in a telephone interview that the windsock was 'faded but not torn' on the night the accident occurred. Further, they stated that at night the wind sock is lighted; however, the free moving tetrahedron is not lighted, even when the pilot controlled runway lighting is activated.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 480 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Benbow Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 1:45 am
- Destination: L18
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,160 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:13 am from RIV, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.