Cessna 172 accident near Murrieta, California, October 24, 1993
On October 24, 1993 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N96353, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murrieta, California (Bear Creek airport). It was an instructional 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 UNEXPECTED WINDSHEER THAT WAS ENCOUNTERED ON FINAL APPROACH. THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAIN/HILLY TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1993 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Murrieta, California · Bear Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N96353 · no longer on the register · serial 17276059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE DUAL STUDENT HAD MADE THREE PREVIOUS TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE DUAL STUDENT HAD CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING USING 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND APPROXIMATELY 60 KNOTS AIRSPEED. THE CFI STATED AS THEY APPROACHED THE THRESHOLD THE AIRPLANE DROPPED ABRUPTLY. THE DUAL STUDENT ADDED FULL POWER TO GO AROUND, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SINK. THE CFI SAID THEY ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED CROSSWIND AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT BY DROPPING THE RIGHT WING AND BY KEEPING THE NOSE ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE HIT A RIDGELINE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN ON THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR, THIS PARTICULAR AIRPORT IN NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING WIND SHEER PROBLEMS DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,370 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,320 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1993; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunrise Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,682 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.