Alon A2 accident near Compton, California, July 28, 2012
On July 28, 2012 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Alon A2, registered N5486E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Compton, California (Compton/Woodley Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2012 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Compton, California · Compton/Woodley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alon A2 · all A2s on the register
- Registration
- N5486E · no longer on the register · serial A-20
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated immediately after the accident that during the landing flare, after he had reduced the power, the airplane ballooned with increasing oscillations and veered left off the runway. He applied left rudder to avoid another taxiing airplane and impacted a row of hangars. In a subsequent written statement, the pilot indicated that his right foot got caught between the rudder pedal and the control column cover during landing. In the process of freeing his foot, the airplane pitched up and down and veered off the runway; he “jammed” the left rudder to avoid a taxiing airplane, and the right wing of his airplane impacted a row of hangars. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,557 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 8, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBNG Banning CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KCPM Compton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25L
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KHHR, 5 miles away
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.