Cessna 172M accident near Byron, California, June 6, 2008
On June 6, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73403, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Byron, California (Byron Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and his inadequate supervision of the student pilot. Factors contributing to the accident were a sudden wind shift and wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, California · Byron Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73403 · no longer on the register · serial 17267432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and a student were practicing landings. They made two successful landings, and were on approach for a third. Around this time, the recorded winds were from 250 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 18. When the airplane was 50 feet above ground level (agl), and over the runway numbers, the student reduced power to idle per the CFI's instructions. At that moment, the airplane encountered a sudden wind shift or gust, which abruptly caused the airplane to pitch down and bank to the right. The CFI added full power, and applied back pressure on the yoke, but was unable to keep the airplane from descending rapidly. The nose gear and right main landing gear violently struck the runway. The nose gear broke off, and the airplane bounced. The CFI regained control, and landed the airplane on both main landing gear while keeping the nose gear off the ground as long as possible. The nose settled on the broken nose gear strut, and the airplane stopped on the runway.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: 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: 1,114 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2008
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LVK, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N73403 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.