Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172F N5543R

26 August 1996 · Ocotillo, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 26 August 1996 at about 00:45 local time, a Cessna 172F registered N5543R was involved in an accident near Ocotillo, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Ocotillo, California, United States
Nearest airport
Ocotillo Wells (L90)
Coordinates
32.7209, -115.8801
Aircraft
Cessna 172F
Registration
N5543R
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Ramona → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX96LA316

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment. The sun glare and proximity of rocks were related factors.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While landing to the west on dirt runway 27, the airplane drifted off the runway centerline and collided with rocks that marked where runway 9/27 intersected with runway 13/31. The pilot reported that he was blinded by the sun during the landing rollout. According to a computer generated Sun/Moon astrological program, the magnetic bearing to the sun was 255 degrees, and it was about 18 degrees above the horizon. According to the pilot, the airplane did not experience any preimpact malfunction or failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
14 Mar 1996 Cessna 172L
N7668G
Napa, California, United States - No injuries -
22 Mar 1996 Cessna 172N
N75770
New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States - No injuries -
9 Aug 1996 Cessna 172N
N738PM
Enumclaw, Washington, United States Aeroflight Minor injuries -
7 Oct 1996 Cessna 172C
N1332Y
Mesa, Arizona, United States - No injuries -
14 Jul 1996 Cessna 172
N78149
Frederick, Maryland, United States - No injuries -
19 Jul 1996 Cessna 172M
N9731V
Tremont City, Ohio, United States MAD River Airport, Inc. No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Mar 1996 Maule M-6-235
N5652C
Bishop, California, United States - No injuries -
11 Oct 1996 Cessna 210A
N9403X
Truckee, California, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
8 Mar 1996 Cessna 152
N49048
Santa Paula, California, United States - Serious injuries -
3 Oct 1996 Piper PA-28-140
N5705U
Plymouth, California, United States - No injuries -
13 Mar 1996 Cessna T210M
N8683M
Grass Valley, California, United States - Serious injuries -
6 Oct 1996 North American F-86
N186SE
Salinas, California, United States Clyde S. Eberhardt No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States