Cessna 172N accident near Stockton, California, May 9, 1995
On May 9, 1995 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N39ES, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockton, California (Stockton Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to properly judge the landing flare, and his improper bounced landing recovery technique, which resulted in a landing gear collapse during a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1995 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, California · Stockton Metro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N39ES · registry record · serial 17269233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR A FULL STOP LANDING. GROUND WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED, THEN TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME, COLLAPSING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TWO RUNWAY MARKERS AS IT GROUND LOOPED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
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: 75 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 29 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,368 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 21, 1995; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: SCK CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29L, 2,996 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from SCK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.