Compton/Woodley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Compton, California 90220
Saturday, July 28, 2012 11:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/28/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Compton
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90220
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335323N
Event Location Longitude 1181237W
Event Location Airport Compton/Woodley Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KCPM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KHHR
Elevation of weather observation facility 66
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KHHR 281853Z 28006KT 10SM CLR 22/13 A3000 RMK AO2
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30524
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2012 5:30PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5486E
NTSB Number WPR12CA330
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ALON
Aircraft Model A2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number A-20
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 4 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1401
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name REUSCH THEODORE A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BANNING
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92220-6641
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name REUSCH THEODORE A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City BANNING
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92220-6641
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KBNG
Departure City Banning
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KCPM
Destination City Compton
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2012 5:30PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25L
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --