Cessna 172 accident near Frazier Park, California, June 30, 1996
On June 30, 1996 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6819H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frazier Park, California (Conover Air Lodge airport). It was a personal 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 failure of the pilot to maintain terrain clearance after a misjudged approach and landing that necessitated a go-around and subsequent collision with some wires. Factors were high density altitude and an inadequate evaluation by the pilot-in-command of the weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1996 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Frazier Park, California · Conover Air Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6819H · no longer on the register · serial 172-65595
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot entered a left traffic pattern to land on the dirt strip. He touched down long and elected to go-around. The terrain off the departure end of the dirt runway rose gradually. The pilot used full power and retracted the flaps from full down to an intermediate setting. He then began a left turn airplane to fly downslope and increase the airplane's height above the ground. While in the turn, the airplane struck wires and crashed. The density altitude was about 8,000 feet msl.
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: 1,992 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1996; 10 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: TSP Tehachapi CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.