Cessna 172M accident near Auberry, California, October 2, 1988
On October 2, 1988 at about 8:23 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20680, was destroyed in an accident near Auberry, California (Topham'S Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- October 2, 1988 · about 8:23 pm local time
- Place
- Auberry, California · Topham'S Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20680 · no longer on the register · serial 17261487
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN AND CIRCLED TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH THE TERRAIN. HE THEN MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE DIRT RUNWAY AND CIRCLED TO LAND. THE FIRST ATTEMPT WAS DISCONTINUED BECAUSE THE PILOT FELT THAT HE AS TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST. HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THE SECOND ATTEMPT, BUT JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, HE DECIDED TO GO AROUND DURING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT PERFORM WELL ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE.
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: 175 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1988; 1,077 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Topham Ranch CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from FAT, 35 miles away
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.