# Incident 20260718011699I: Cessna 140, Byron, CA, July 18, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 2026, 13:49 local time
- Place: Byron, CA
- Airport: Byron
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.8284° N, 121.6258° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BYRON (C83), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8284&lon=-121.6258&mi=10
- Aircraft: N76423, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N76423) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 140 (registry code 2071602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 140
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 4,300 total, 121 in this make and model, 71 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260718011699I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 18, 2026, I WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON A FLIGHT FROM KPAO TO C83 TO ATTEND THE ANGEL FLIGHT FLY-IN WITH ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD.

UPON ARRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 13:15, I OBSERVED A SIGNIFICANT CROSSWIND ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH I INITIALLY CONSIDERED USING A RUNWAY THAT OFFERED A MORE FAVORABLE WIND ALIGNMENT, ALL TRAFFIC MONITORING AND TRANSMITTING ON THE CTAF WAS UTILIZING RUNWAY 30. BECAUSE I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT, I ELECTED TO FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED TRAFFIC PATTERN AND LAND ON RUNWAY 30.

DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING, I APPLIED APPROPRIATE CROSSWIND CONTROL INPUTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A WIND GUST, COMBINED WITH THE EXISTING CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, CONTRIBUTED TO THE RAPID LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE DEVIATION AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME AND RUNWAY REMAINING TO SUCCESSFULLY RECOVER.

THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND-LOOPED AND EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE EXCURSION. FORTUNATELY, NEITHER MY PASSENGER NOR I SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES, AND WE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

THIS EVENT REINFORCED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATIVE AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING, PARTICULARLY WHEN OPERATING A TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT IN CHALLENGING CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON SELECTING THE RUNWAY THAT PROVIDES THE SAFEST OPERATING CONDITIONS, EVEN WHEN IT DIFFERS FROM THE RUNWAY MOST COMMONLY BEING USED, PROVIDED IT CAN BE DONE SAFELY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROCEDURES.

## Other reports on N76423 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20180930019329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180930019329I), Sep 30, 2018: Cessna 140 (N76423), Live Oak, FL, No damage. On September 30, 2018, at 1030 EST a 1946 Cessna, model 140, NC76423 that is registered to [privacy data omitted], had an engine power problem during cruise…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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