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Accidents · NTSB LAX91LA110 · Final report

Cessna 172N accident near San Carlos, California, February 17, 1991

On February 17, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5300F, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE LANDING.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
February 17, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time · cases in 1991
Place
San Carlos, California · San Carlos · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
Registration
N5300F · registry record · serial 17273130
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

IN HIS STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ON HIS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE APPROACH AND WHILE OVER THE LANDING THRESHOLD, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DOWNDRAFT AND LANDED HARD. WINDS REPORTED BY THE TOWER FAVORED THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE TOWER'S WEATHER REPORT, NO WIND GUSTS OR TURBULENCE WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

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: 236 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 161 as pilot in command
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: unk

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
  • Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
  • Seats: 4
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 3, 2,600 ft by 75 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 300° at 18 knots
  • Visibility: 40 statute miles
  • Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
  • Observation at 8:45 pm from SQL, 1 miles away

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers1

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

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The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX91LA110.json.

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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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.