Cessna 172N accident near Cameron Park, California, July 30, 1994
On July 30, 1994 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739RF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cameron Park, California (Cameron Airpark 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of the elevator control during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1994 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron Park, California · Cameron Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739RF · registry record · serial 17270739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he came in high over the runway numbers with full flaps and maintained his descent attitude until he began to flare and reduce his airspeed. He stated that he inexplicably pushed forward on the control wheel to get the aircraft on the ground. On initial touchdown, the aircraft bounced back into the air. The pilot again attempted to flare and bounced once again about 10 or 15 feet in the air. On the third attempted landing, the aircraft remained on the runway after touchdown. The pilot reported that after turning off the runway onto the taxiway, the aircraft became difficult to taxi. He said he attributed the difficulty to the fact that his destination on the airport required him to taxi uphill. An inspection of the aircraft revealed that the nosewheel tire was blown, the nose wheel strut was broken at the top attachment point, and the engine firewall was buckled.
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: 563 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 521 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,745 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 1994; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,060 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from MCC, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 LAX94LA305.