Cessna 140 accident near San Luis Obispo, California, July 25, 2001
On July 25, 2001 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2903N, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California (Mcchesney Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing that resulted in dragging the wing and nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2001 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · Mcchesney Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2903N · registry record · serial 13164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made an uneventful three-point touchdown. Thereafter, the airplane veered left, and the pilot applied rudder pressure and engine power to correct for the yawing moment. The pilot reported that the swerve happened so fast he was unable to take effective corrective action. Airplane control was lost and it nosed over.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 582 hours in all; 398 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 25, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,401 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 2001; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBP San Luis Obispo CA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: SBP San Luis Obispo CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from SBP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX01LA260.