# NTSB WPR26LA222: Cessna 172S, N96FA, Death Valley, CA, June 17, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 17, 2026, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Death Valley, CA
- Coordinates: 36.4605, -116.8798 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4605&lon=-116.8798&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 3 minor
- Status: Completed, report September 17, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203196
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA222
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203196/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203196
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA222

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and encounter with a tailwind while landing on a rough runway, which resulted in a runway overrun and subsequent nose over.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 238 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot flew over his destination airport, which featured a 3,065 ft long asphalt runway, noted to be in poor condition, to observe the windsock. The pilot determined that the windsock indicated calm wind and maneuvered the airplane for landing on runway 33. He extended the flaps to the full down position while on final approach. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down about 1,300 ft beyond the runway threshold, and that he applied maximum braking. During the landing roll, he realized that the airplane was not slowing down as he expected. The airplane subsequently overran the runway and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to both wing lift struts and the fuselage. The pilot added that a stronger-than-anticipated tailwind and the rough, uneven runway surface may have reduced braking effectiveness. Flight data recovered from the airplane’s avionics revealed that the airplane landed on runway 33 with wind from about 174° at 17 knots. Additionally, the data revealed that as the airplane crossed over the threshold of the runway, the airplane’s indicated airspeed was about 74 knots and groundspeed about 93 knots. The Pilot’s Operating Handbook specifies that, during a short-field landing, the airplane should be flown at 61 knots indicated airspeed when 50 ft above ground level. It further stated that, “for operation with tailwinds up to 10 knots, increase [landing] distances by 10% for each 2 knots.” Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that there were now mechanical malfunctions or failures with the wing flaps that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N96FA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N96FA), registered now, S/N 172S10002, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S10002
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 8057.3
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 28, 2026, 37.7 hours before
- Departed: VNY, Van Nuys, CA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: L06, Furnace Creek Airport, runway 33, 3,065 × 70 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; injuries: unknown; private, foreign; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2026; seat: left; flight hours: 200 total, 75 in this make and model, 200 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: KDRA, 42 nm away
- METAR: METAR KDRA 171653Z AUTO 20013KT 10SM CLR 34/03 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP062 T03390028

## Docket (8 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203196. 10.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1- pilot (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20762658&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1- owner/operator (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20763754&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Flight%20School-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 3, PDF, 9 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20763457&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Excerpt from poh- landing distance (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 464 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20763477&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=POH%20excerpt-%20Landing%20distance-Rel.pdf
- Flight data from avionics (item 5, CSV, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20763677&FileExtension=csv&FileName=log_260617_074338_KVNY-Rel.csv
- Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 615 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20764254&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20array-Rel.pdf
- Wreckage examination (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20767435&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Examination-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 8, PDF, 2 pages, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20764762&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SIGNED%20NTSB%20Release-%20N96FA_Redacted-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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