Cessna 172N accident near Napa, California, July 18, 1995
On July 18, 1995 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4915D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California (Napa County 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft after one foot slipped off the rudder pedals, and his inadvertent application of asymmetrical brake forces.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1995 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa County · 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
- N4915D · no longer on the register · serial 172-72397
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SWERVE ON THE RUNWAY. HE SAID ONE FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE RUDDER PEDAL WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO CORRECT THE AIRCRAFT HEADING AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. THE FIREWALL AND RIGHT WING SPAR SUFFERED DAMAGE DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SAID HE BELIEVES THAT WHEN HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE RUDDER PEDAL HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY 'TOUCHED ONE BRAKE, WHICH MADE THE SWERVE WORSE.'
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: 415 hours in all; 306 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 365 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,325 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 7, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 2:50 am
- Destination: APC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18R, 5,931 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 am from APC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.