Cessna 190 accident near San Luis Obispo, California, May 17, 2024
On May 17, 2024 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1951 Cessna 190, registered N1500D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis Obispo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a failure of the right main landing gear and subsequent ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2024 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis Obispo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 190, built 1951 · all 190s on the register
- Registration
- N1500D · registry record · serial 7722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane’s right main gear began to track under the fuselage. As the airplane slowed, he was unable to keep the aircraft under directional control. The airplane then ground-looped, substantially damaging the right wing. Metallurgical examination revealed the attachment bolts for the right main landing gear failed in downward and slightly aft bending. The two lower bolts fractured in overstress. The upper bolt was bent, and the nut was stripped. A side load on the right main landing gear wheel would have placed the axle in downward bending and drag forces during landing and roll out would have resulted in an aft loading component. The damage signatures observed were consistent with separation of the axle from the landing gear spring as a result of a ground loop.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 33,000 hours in all; 530 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,616.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2023; 11.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs L6-MB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TSP Tehachapi CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 6,101 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KSBP
Weather report (METAR): KSBP 172156Z 24009KT 10SM FEW025 20/11 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP139 T02000111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Image of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Image of damaged right wingtip and aileron
Photograph 3 – Image of right main landing gear axle (NTSB Photo)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 25-034 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.