Event LAX96LA136

Factual narrative

On March 9, 1996, at 1300 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182Q, N7583S, sustained substantial airframe damage during a hard landing at the Catalina Island Airport, Avalon, California. The aircraft was operated by Vista Aviation of Pacoima, California, and was rented by the pilot for a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The flight originated at the Whitman Airport, Pacoima, on the day of the accident at 1215 as a personal flight to Catalina Island. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that this was his first flight to the island and he was unfamiliar with the airport. The airport sits on a mountain top with steep cliffs on both the approach and departure ends of runway 22. The first 2,000 feet of the 3,240-foot-long runway has a pronounced upslope gradient. The pilot said he made three attempts to land and was high and fast each time due to the optical illusion presented by the upslope runway. On the third approach, the aircraft touched down hard and bounced back into the air. The pilot said he then released back pressure on the control yoke and the aircraft hit hard on the nose wheel, damaging the propeller and firewall. The pilot reported that this was his first flight to Catalina Island and that he was unfamiliar with the airport. The wind was from 170 degrees at 8 knots, and the pilot elected to land on runway 22. There were steep cliffs on both the approach and departure ends of the runway. The first 2,000 feet of the 3,240-foot-long runway had a pronounced upslope gradient. The pilot said he made three attempts to land, but the aircraft was high and fast each time due to the an optical illusion that was presented by the upsloping terrain at the approach end of the runway. On the third approach, the aircraft touched down hard and bounced back into the air. The pilot said he then released back pressure on the control yoke and the aircraft hit hard on the nose wheel, damaging the propeller and firewall. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12