Cessna 172M accident near Crescent City, California, June 3, 1991
On June 3, 1991 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12447, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crescent City, California (Crescent City 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EMPLOY PROPER FLIGHT CONTROL POSITIONING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1991 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crescent City, California · Crescent City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12447 · registry record · serial 17261988
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS TAXIING FROM LANDING AT AN INTERMEDIATE REFUELING STOP DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 29, AND WIND CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 330 DEGREES AT 28 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 38 KNOTS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXIT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AT A TAXIWAY BUT STRONG WINDS PREVENTED THE AIRPLANE FROM TURNING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE BEGAN TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY, WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING, FLIPPING THE AIRPLANE OVER TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED.
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: 300 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 236 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 1990; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HQM Hoquaim WA at 9:01 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 28 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 28,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from CEC, 1 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX91LA241.