Cessna 172A accident near Weed, California, August 30, 1995
On August 30, 1995 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7641T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Weed, California (Weed 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 flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1995 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Weed, California · Weed Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7641T · registry record · serial 47241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT OWNER AND A CFI WERE PERFORMING A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT AFTER THE BFR WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BY THE OWNER HE ASKED IF HE COULD DO ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING, TO WHICH THE OWNER AGREED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF AND PATTERN WERE NORMAL; HOWEVER, JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE BEGAN TO HAVE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS AND COULDN'T GET THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL TO MOVE BEYOND THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY EDGE, RAN DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, AND NOSED OVER AFTER ENCOUNTERING LARGE BOULDERS. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND IN AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,734 hours in all; 292 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 6,350 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1994; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 046 at 11:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.