Cessna TR182 accident near Torrance, California, August 8, 2016
On August 8, 2016 at about 10:08 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna TR182, registered N756FZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Torrance, California (Zamperini Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right main landing gear to fully extend for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination and testing did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2016 · about 10:08 pm local time
- Place
- Torrance, California · Zamperini Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 NO SERIES, built 1979 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N756FZ · registry record · serial R18201069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the flight instructor was demonstrating a normal landing to the pilot under instruction. As the airplane approached the runway, the instructor selected the landing gear down and configured the airplane for the landing. The landing checks were called out, and a landing gear green indictor light was verified, indicating that the landing gear should have been down and locked. The landing flare and initial touchdown were normal. However, shortly after the airplane touched down, it listed right as the right main landing gear (MLG) collapsed. The airplane then entered a 180o skidding turn before coming to a stop. Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane on final approach with its right MLG not fully extended. During a postaccident examination, the airplane was placed on jacks to facilitate a gear-swing test. The MLG were cycled multiple times with no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Each time the MLG were extended, the landing gear indicator lights inside the cockpit illuminated. The reason for the right MLG's failure to fully extend when the MLG were selected down could not be determined.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Malfunction
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 8,700 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 315.7 hours in all; 127.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 15, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,730.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 15, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 322 hours total
- Operator: Pacific Skies Aviation LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 8:38 pm
- Destination: TOA Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11L, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 10:08 pm from KTOA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR16LA163.