Cessna 172F accident near Fairfield, California, September 11, 1988
On September 11, 1988 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5149F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairfield, California (Travis Afb airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- September 11, 1988 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, California · Travis Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5149F · registry record · serial 17252984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PERFORMED A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF ON A GRASS STRIP IN WINDS GUSTING TO 34 KTS. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN GROUND EFFECT, NOR WOULD IT CLIMB. FEELING THAT HE COULD NOT OUT-CLIMB OBJECTS IN HIS PATH, THE PILOT TURNED TO THE RIGHT. AS HE TURNED HE RETRACTED FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT DECELERATED AND COLLIDED WITH 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,521 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 10,408 as pilot in command; 5,224 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,769 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1988; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Air Force
The flight
- Destination: 022 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 25 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from TZZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.