Cessna 172RG accident near Concord, California, July 6, 1990
On July 6, 1990 at about 6:20 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N5388R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California (Buchanan airport). It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S INITIATING AN EXCESSIVE DESCENT AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1990 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Concord, California · Buchanan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N5388R · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT DRIFTED ABOUT 10 DEGREES LEFT OF COURSE NEAR THE OUTER MARKER. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THE STUDENT A 'VERY HIGH RATE OF DESCENT' WHEN THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE OUTER MARKER. BEFORE SHE COULD GET HIM TO STOP THE DESCENT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,428 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 3,269 as pilot in command; 1,050 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Buchanan Flying Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 5:55 am
- Destination: CCR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 4,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5388R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.