Cessna 172 accident near Bakersfield, California, April 18, 1982
On April 18, 1982 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N73890, was destroyed in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Di Giorgio airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1982 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Di Giorgio
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N73890 · no longer on the register · serial 67731
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON AN AIRSTRIP WITH A VINEYARD ABOUT 20 FT LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS A LEFT QUARTERING HEADWIND AT 10 KNOTS. THE FIRST LANDING WAS ABORTED AFTER TOUCHDOWN WHEN THE PLANE STARTED TO VEER LEFT AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE NEXT LANDING WAS MADE AT A MUCH SLOWER AIRSPEED. AS BRAKING ACTION WAS BEGUN, THE PLANE VEERED LEFT AGAIN AND HEADED TOWARD SOFT TERRAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ANOTHER GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED, BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE GRAPEVINES. THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE VINES AND THE PLANE CRASHED IN THE VINEYARD.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,470 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: POC Bakersfield CA at 2:10 pm
- Destination: POC Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,600 ft by 44 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.