Cessna 172M accident near Fairfield, California, October 11, 1992
On October 11, 1992 at about 2:47 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80780, was destroyed in an accident near Fairfield, California (Travis Afb Aero Club Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND DURING A NIGHT LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT MISJUDGING DISTANCE AND SPEED RESULTING A OVERSHOOTING THE TOUCHDOWN, THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION, HIS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA 172, AND HIS FAILURE TO TURN OFF THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1992 · about 2:47 am local time
- Place
- Fairfield, California · Travis Afb Aero Club Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80780 · registry record · serial 17266744
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 2,000 FT RUNWAY. THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A POWER POLE LOCATED 38 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY ELEVATION AND 958 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND DOWN 10 DEG AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE PILOT HAD NOT RECORDED ANY NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,012 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 15, 1992; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Travis A.F.B. Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: SMF Sacramento CA at 2:23 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 am from SUU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.