Cessna 172 accident near Tonopah, Nevada, November 26, 1990
On November 26, 1990 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N79551, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tonopah, Nevada (Tonopah 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 AIRPLANE'S ENCOUNTER WITH A WIND GUST WHILE TAXIING FROM LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN MAKING WEATHER EVALUATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1990 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tonopah, Nevada · Tonopah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N79551 · no longer on the register · serial 17258170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE 74-HOUR PRIVATE PILOT, DURING HIS X-C FLIGHT HE HAD RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFINGS AND HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT THE SURFACE WIND AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS 25 KNOTS. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH THE UNICOM OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS. THE PILOT LANDED, EXITED THE RUNWAY, ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST, LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO THE NOSE OVER EVENT THE UNICOM OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE SURFACE WIND WAS 40 KNOTS WITH GUST TO 60 KNOTS.
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: 74 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Double Eagle Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: WMC Winnemucca NY at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 7,162 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 40 knots, gusting 60
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.