Cessna 172M accident near Big Bear City, California, December 4, 1990
On December 4, 1990 at about 11:24 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12943, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF AND HIS INCORRECT USE OF FULL FLAPS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION AND TO THE PILOT'S ABRUPT AIRPLANE HANDLING TECHNIQUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1990 · about 11:24 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12943 · registry record · serial 17262389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT RECEIVED A CHECKOUT FROM THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR IN THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLT. THE RT FRONT SEAT NONCERTIFICATED STUDENT PLT REPTD THAT AFTER THE CHECKOUT WHEN THE PIC DEPT CABLE ARPT HE NEARLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE HE USED FULL FLAPS AND ROTATED ABRUPTLY. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE IMMINENT STALL AND THEN PROCEEDED TO BIG BEAR, A 6,750 FT HIGH ALT ARPT. WHEN THE FLT DEPT BIG BEAR THE PIC DID NOT LEAN THE MIXTURE AND AGAIN USED FULL FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. THE PIC ROTATED THE AIRPLANE PREMATURELY BY ABRUPTLY PULLING THE CONTROL WHEEL ALL THE WAY BACK. THE AIRPLANE GAINED SOME ALTITUDE, BECAME UNSTABLE AND STALLED. DURING THE STALL THE PIC FAILED TO LOWER THE NOSE AND IMMEDIATELY RETRACTED THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT'S USAGE OF FLAPS WAS CONTRARY TO PUBLISHED INSTRUCTIONS IN THE CESSNA OWNER'S MANUAL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 990 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,591 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1990; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Cable Air
The flight
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:55 pm from VCV, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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 N12943 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.