Cessna 172M accident near San Andreas, California, August 3, 2006
On August 3, 2006 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12626, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Andreas, California (Calaveras County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's improper soft-field takeoff technique and failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush. The certificated flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the maneuver was also causal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2006 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Andreas, California · Calaveras County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12626 · no longer on the register · serial 17262124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane stalled and impacted terrain during a soft-field takeoff. The student pilot was practicing a soft-field takeoff in preparation of his private pilot check ride. The student conducted the soft-field takeoff with the airplane established in a nose high pitch attitude. The student failed to reduce the wing's angle of attack and the airplane very quickly rose above ground effect. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) said that the student was a little slow in lowering the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, but he (the CFI) delayed taking corrective action since the student's check ride was coming up and he wanted to see the student take action on his own. The student informed the CFI that it felt as though the right wing wanted to drop. The CFI took control of the airplane, lowered the nose and applied left aileron, but it was too late. The left wing dropped and the airplane descended to ground impact.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,478 hours in all; 1,466 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 5,145 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,293.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPU San Andreas CA at 2:05 pm
- Destination: San Andreas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,603 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from SCK, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.