Cessna 172N accident near Chemehuevi, California, July 7, 2004
On July 7, 2004 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734PW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chemehuevi, California (Chemehuevi Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2004 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chemehuevi, California · Chemehuevi Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734PW · registry record · serial 17269016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot bounced the airplane upon touchdown and lost directional control with a prevailing quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off the side of the runway, rolled into an embankment, and nosed over. Days earlier, the student's certified flight instructor had authorized the student to practice takeoffs and landings at the airport. The accident occurred after the student had flown for about 50 minutes. During his third landing on the 5,000-foot-long by 75-foot-wide runway 34, with 20 degrees of wing flaps extended, the pilot encountered a quartering tailwind. The airplane initially touched down on its left main landing gear. Thereafter, the airplane bounced, and the right main landing gear contacted the runway. Although the student increased engine power and pulled the control yoke aft, his overall efforts to maintain control were inadequate. From 8 minutes before to 12 minutes after the accident, the wind direction and speed were reported at an airport 5 miles from the site as varying from 150 to 190 degrees, and from 3 and 6 knots. No wind gusts were reported. The student's total solo flying experience was 13 hours.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,887 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2004; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 49X Chemehuevi CA at 1:10 pm
- Destination: HII Lake Havasucity AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 102°F (39°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 2:02 pm from HII, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.