Cessna 172N accident near Yucca Valley, California, December 26, 1990
On December 26, 1990 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5258D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yucca Valley, California (Yucca Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLAPS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TAILWIND LANDING, AND HIS TAILWIND AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1990 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Yucca Valley, California · Yucca Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5258D · registry record · serial 172N
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE UNICOM ON THE CTAF FOR AN AIRPORT TRAFFIC ADVISORY BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE PILOT THEN ASSUMED THAT THE LANDING RUNWAY WAS 24 AND HE SET UP AN APPROACH ACCORDINGLY. THE ACTIVE RUNWAY HOWEVER WAS 06, AND THE SURFACE WINDS WERE 030 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. AFTER PASSING OVER THE THRESHOLD THE AIRPLANE'S STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO-AROUND AND INADVERTENTLY FULLY RETRACTED THE FLAPS. REALIZING HIS MISTAKE THE PILOT LOWERED THE FLAPS, BUT THE AIRPLANE STALLED, SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING ON THE NOSE GEAR AND NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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: 77 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 35 as pilot in command
- 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: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L80 Joshua Tree CA at 9:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,686 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.