Cessna 172K accident near Lancaster, California, March 21, 1984
On March 21, 1984 at about 5:14 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N78178, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California (General Wm. J. Fox 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 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
- March 21, 1984 · about 5:14 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · General Wm. J. Fox · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N78178 · no longer on the register · serial 17257512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BLOWN OVER AS IT TURNED CROSSWIND IN GUSTS UP TO 40 KTS. THE PLT SAID HE WAS USING THE PROCEDURES FOR TAXIING IN WIND CONDITIONS. THE CESSNA 172 IS LIMITED TO A 15 KT CROSSWIND COMPONENT FOR TAKEOFF.
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: 1,098 hours in all; 1,098 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 1,054 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,870 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 05T Bridgeport CA at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 32 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 pm from WJF0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.