Cessna 172R accident near Imperial, California, May 18, 1999
On May 18, 1999 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N9897F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Imperial, California (Imperial County airport). It was an instructional 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 misjudged landing flare, which led to an inadvertent porpoise condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1999 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Imperial, California · Imperial County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N9897F · registry record · serial 17280180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Inbound to the airport, the pilot requested a landing advisory from the CTAF. They advised runway 14 was in use. As the pilot neared the airport, another aircraft asked for advisories. That aircraft was advised that runway 32 was in use and landed on it. The pilot tried to contact the CTAF to verify runway 32 was now in use, but received no response. She entered right traffic for runway 32 and noted the windsock indicated there was no wind. She overshot the turn to final but corrected to line up on the runway centerline. She flared too high and tried to correct; however, during the landing, the aircraft started to porpoise. The propeller struck the ground, buckling the cowling and firewall. The pilot taxied clear of the runway and shut down.
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: student
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,019 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 20, 1999; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRM Thermal CA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: IPL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 5,304 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from IPL
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.
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.