Cessna 172 accident near Yerington, Nevada, June 23, 1995
On June 23, 1995 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5363T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yerington, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO ENTER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO SAFELY ESCAPE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1995 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Yerington, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5363T · no longer on the register · serial 1725-1263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING WITH TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD, THE PILOT ENTERED A CANYON AREA AT THE 9,500 FOOT LEVEL, AND ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT IN THE VICINITY OF A 11,320 FOOT MOUNTAIN. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE CANYON FLOOR, AND THE PILOT PROCEEDED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE BEFORE BEING FORCED TO LAND. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 11,000 FEET. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS REPORTED. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE AND SHOULD HAVE ENTERED THE TERRAIN AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE FOR A BETTER ESCAPE ROUTE.
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
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 295 as pilot in command; 169 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,630 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 043 at 2:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N5363T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.