Cessna 182P accident near Long Beach, California, March 13, 2010
On March 13, 2010, a Cessna 182P, registered N52630, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Long Beach, California (Long Beach 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’s improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2010
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52630 · no longer on the register · serial 18262727
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was the student pilot’s first supervised solo flight. The takeoff, crosswind, and downwind legs of the flight appeared to be normal and well controlled. The approach seemed normal with an attitude appropriate for landing. The student turned into the final leg with the flaps set to 30 degrees and with the airspeed at 85 knots. He felt that he was a little high, so he set the flaps to 40 degrees. He adjusted power and attitude to maintain airspeed. He thought that the approach was stabilized and he shifted his gaze forward and reduced power as he passed over the runway end. He thought that he leveled a little high, and landed flat. The airplane bounced hard enough to dislodge his glasses. He raised the nose, the airplane bounced again, and then landed nose-down on the runway. The student's instructor was observing the landing and thought that the flare was a little high, with the airplane touching down main-wheels-first, with the nose slightly up. The nosewheel then quickly hit the ground and the airplane bounced 2 to 3 feet. The airplane touched down again in a flat or slightly nose down attitude and bounced again. It came down in about a 20-degree nose-low attitude on the third and final touchdown and the propeller hit first. The nosewheel and strut folded backwards under the cowling and the firewall buckled. The airplane came to rest with the tail up and the engine stopped.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N52630, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25R, 6,192 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
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.