Cessna 172S accident near San Luis Obispo, California, April 7, 2008
On April 7, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N65630, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis County Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's inadequate landing flare, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N65630 · no longer on the register · serial 172S9736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's descent was uneventful. The wind was reported as 300 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 25 knots. After touchdown, the airplane porpoised. The pilot then taxied the airplane to the hangar. Although the landing was very rough, the pilot was unaware that the airplane was damaged. Post-flight examination revealed that the propeller blades were slightly bent to the rear, and the firewall was dented.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSBP San Luis Obispo CA
- Destination: KSBP San Luis Obispo CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 19 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from SBP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N65630 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.