Cessna 172 accident near Bakersfield, California, December 23, 1995
On December 23, 1995 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N73303, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield Municipal). 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 pilot's improper aborted landing procedure which resulted in the aircraft stalling and impacting terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1995 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N73303 · no longer on the register · serial 17267358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND FOLLOWING AN ABORTED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AT 15 FEET ALTITUDE, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A GUST OF CROSSWIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY NECESSITATING THE GO-AROUND WHICH HE ATTEMPTED WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED. THE PILOT REPORTED 4 HOURS TOTAL NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, AND HAD PERFORMED THREE SOLO NIGHT TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS TO REGAIN NIGHT CURRENCY IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO LOADING HIS PASSENGERS.
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: 52 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1995; 86 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: L45 at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from BFL, 7 miles away
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.