Cessna 172R accident near Ramona, California, January 6, 2010
On January 6, 2010 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N35414, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Ramona, California (Ramona Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2010 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Ramona, California · Ramona Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N35414 · no longer on the register · serial 17281073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was on his second solo flight and planned to do a touch-and-go landing. He reported that after a normal landing he immediately set the flaps to zero degrees and applied full power. After adding power, the airplane veered left. The pilot reduced power and steered the airplane back to the right. The pilot added power a second time and the airplane veered left, exited the hard surface runway, then encountered rough terrain and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and both wings. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,450 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 31, 2009; 5 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Aviation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: KCRQ Carlsbad CA
- Destination: RNM Ramona CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.