Cessna R172K accident near San Martin, California, January 14, 1983
On January 14, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N9927V, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Martin, California (South County 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Martin, California · South County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N9927V · registry record · serial R1722354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE PRACTICING AN APPROACH WITH A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE. ON TURNING FINAL, THE INSTRUCTOR DECIDED THE ACFT WAS TOO LOW TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. SHE ESTIMATED THEY WOULD BE SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET SHORT. SHE TOOK CONTROL TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND DEMONSTRATE FLT IN GROUND EFFECT. IN SPITE OF FULL UP ELEVATOR AND LATE APPLICATION OF POWER, THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SINK AND MADE GROUND CONTACT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSEGEAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE FIREWAY WAS BUCKLED DURING THE LANDING; HOWEVER, THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT TO THE PARKING AREA. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A SLIGHT RISE IN THE TERRAIN.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 742 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,252 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 3, 1982; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Trends, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83LA077.