- Date
- September 17, 1988, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6406DCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880917051069A
- Case key
- 26104
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During takeoff roll the pilot heard a banging noise on the left wing. The pilot continued the takeoff. At 100 ft a.g.l. he executed a 180 degree turn to the right to return to land. The pilot added 30 degrees of flaps to the 10 that had been set for takeoff. The acft began to descend and the pilot could not stop the descent. He landed the acft in an open field. During the landing the nose wheel collided with a rock, broke off and the aircraft nosed over. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the left fuel cap was not in place and was hanging from the wing by its connection chain. Density altitude was about 7500 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6406D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272789
- Airframe hours
- 3,796
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lompoc Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 10, 1988 · 35 hours before
- Destination
- PVF · Placerville, CA
- Airport
- TRK · Truckee-Tahoe, runway 28, 6,401 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,164 total · 255 in this make and model · 965 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.