Cessna 172K accident near San Antonio, Texas, April 1, 2011
On April 1, 2011 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79286, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (San Geronimo Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2011 · about 7:15 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Geronimo Airpark · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79286 · registry record · serial 17258023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot lost directional control of the airplane while landing in gusty wind conditions. The airplane bounced, and touched back down in the grass alongside of the runway, before the left wing impacted a tree. The airplane’s wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The closest weather reporting station was located 15 nautical miles to the southeast of the accident site. Twenty minutes before the accident, the reported wind was from 190 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The student pilot further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alamo Aerodyne INC
The flight
- Departed from: 5C1 Boerne TX at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 8T8 San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on June 15, 2011. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N79286 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N79286 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,692 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 27,304 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- San Geronimo Airpark · nearest airport
- Boerne Stage Airfield · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,061 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,985 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N79286 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11CA257.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.