Cessna 172 accident near Big Bear City, California, November 29, 1996
On November 29, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1042G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City 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 inadequate compensation for the wind condition, and his failure to maintain alignment with the runway. The gusty crosswind was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1042G · registry record · serial 36704
- 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 while approaching the Big Bear City Airport, he monitored the AWOS and understood the wind was from 250 degrees at 5 knots. He said that during final approach to land on runway 26, he was 'fighting to keep lined up,' and the windsock was 90 degrees to the runway. During the landing flare, a gust pushed the airplane off the runway, and the airplane collided with a light stanchion. The pilot additionally reported that the accident could have been prevented had he gone around or exercised 'better crosswind landing technique.' The Big Bear City Airport AWOS reported that the wind was from 360 degrees at 9 gusting 16 knots.
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: 613 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L39 Ramona CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: L35
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from L35
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX97LA064.