Cessna 172N accident near Palo Alto, California, May 20, 2008
On May 20, 2008 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6521J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto Arpt Of Santa Clara airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2008 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto Arpt Of Santa Clara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6521J · no longer on the register · serial 17273883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that his approach to landing was unstable and that he added power on short final because he was too low and slow. When the landing gear touched down, the airplane began porpoising with "several hard bounces" down the runway, ultimately resulting in propeller strike damage, firewall damage, engine mount damage, and nose wheel damage.
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
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 224 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,255 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-O2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Valley Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,443 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from PAO
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 N6521J 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.