Cessna 172N accident near Alturus, California, July 9, 1993
On July 9, 1993 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75901, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alturus, California (Alturus Municipal 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 DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S PREMATURE ROTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES IN THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL REGARDING USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL, THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPEREINCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1993 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Alturus, California · Alturus Municipal · 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
- N75901 · no longer on the register · serial 17268026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he was departing the Alturus municipal airport, which has an elevation of 4,375 feet MSL. The official weather observation for the airport reported a temperature of 83 degrees 20 minutes after the accident, for a computed density altitude of 7,100 feet. The pilot noted that the engine ran smoothly during the takeoff ground roll, but did not seem to reach full RPM. He said that at about 50 knots he rotated the nose of the aircraft and it climbed about 10 feet, then settled back onto the pavement. The pilot noted that he attempted several times to lift off the runway, but the aircraft would not climb off of the pavement. The pilot stated that he then aborted the takeoff, over ran the departure end of the runway and collided with a ditch and a fence. The flight manual for the aircraft states that the mixture should be leaned for takeoff at fields with elevations above 3,000 feet. The rotation speed specified in the flight manual for a normal takeoff is 55 knots.
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: 109 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,868 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,307 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Executive Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: O00 at 8:25 pm
- Destination: SAC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,460 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from O00
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.