Cessna C-172N accident near Palo Alto, California, October 3, 1991
On October 3, 1991 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Cessna C-172N, registered N3318E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INFLIGHT LOS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO CORRECTLY CONFIGURE THE RUDDER TRIM FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1991 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-172N
- Registration
- N3318E · registry record · serial 17271502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT SAID SHE WAS PRACTICING SOFT FIELD TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS DURING THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL SESSION. GROUND WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ACHIEVED A VERY STEEP CLIMB ANGLE AFTER ROTATION FOR THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE LEFT IN A NOSE HIGH DESCENT ATTITUDE AND THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE ON A GOLF COURSE ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS. CONTROL SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT. NO ABNORMAL SYSTEM CONDITIONS WERE NOTED DURING THE EXAMINATION. THE RUDDER TRIM CONTROL WAS FOUND POSITIONED AT ABOUT 50 PERCENT TO THE LEFT.
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: student
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,342 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1991; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air One
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from PAO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N3318E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX92LA003.