Cessna 172P accident near Half Moon Bay, California, October 22, 2000
On October 22, 2000 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5226K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Half Moon Bay airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A local windshear condition that exceeded the airplane's climb performance capability during landing approach and resulted in the runway overrun during an attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2000 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Half Moon Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5226K · registry record · serial 17274019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a fence during a forced landing. The pilot reported that as he initiated his approach to runway 30 he noticed strong gusty winds and low-level shear conditions. To compensate, he increased his approach airspeed and left the flaps in their retracted position. While continuing over the approach end of the runway, he encountered an area with a high sink rate. He immediately added full power to stop his descent. With full power, and with the airplane's nose about 5 degrees above the horizon, the airplane began to climb slowly. At this point, the pilot encountered a strong, gusting, right quartering headwind that lifted the right wing and resulted in a loss of altitude. In response, as the airplane touched down beyond the departure end of the runway, he closed the throttle. The airplane rolled through a fence before coming to a stop. Winds at the closest weather reporting station San Francisco International Airport (SFO), were 360 at 18 knots gusting to 22 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 933 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 801 as pilot in command; 130 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 12, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,811 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 2000; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AHM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HAF Half Moon Bay CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: HAF Half Moon Bay CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,237 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from SFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.