Cessna 172RG accident near Lancaster, California, August 21, 1997
On August 21, 1997 at about 11:02 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9710B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California (General Wm. J. Fox Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1997 · about 11:02 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · General Wm. J. Fox Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9710B · registry record · serial 172RG0983
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed hard, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft veered to the left off the runway. The air traffic control tower reported that the winds were from 220 degrees at 18 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the landing gear position indicator lights reflected that the gear was down before touchdown.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 375 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,237 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 29, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 10:05 pm
- Destination: WJF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from WJF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX97LA297.