Cessna Aircraft CO E162 accident near Santa Rosa, California, November 15, 2014
On November 15, 2014 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 2011 Cessna Aircraft CO E162, registered N5216N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Santa Rosa, California (Sonoma County 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 flare which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2014 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Sonoma County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO E162 UNDESIGNAT, built 2011
- Registration
- N5216N · registry record · serial 16200047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an initial solo flight, the student pilot was conducting a series of three takeoff and landings. During the second landing, the airplane landed hard, bounced, and landed on the nose wheel landing gear, which resulted in the nose gear collapsing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose wheel landing gear was compressed upward and aft into the firewall and fuselage structure. The student pilot reported that at the time of the accident, no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures existed that would of 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,321 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North Coast Air
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 8:52 pm
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KSTS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 18, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.