Cessna 172 accident near Byron, California, December 23, 1989
On December 23, 1989 at about 10:28 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8218B, was destroyed in an accident near Byron, California (Byron airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING A LOW ALTITUDE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITH A 700-FOOT CEILING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1989 · about 10:28 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, California · Byron · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8218B · registry record · serial 36018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ONLY REMEMBERS DOING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITH A 700 FT CEILING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE BUZZ A HANGAR TWICE, THEN DO A TOUCH-AND-GO. AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT DID A HARD LEFT TURN. THE WINGTIP DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,079 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.