Cessna 172 accident near Needles, California, June 15, 1999
On June 15, 1999 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6448B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Needles, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind condition and subsequent failure to maintain alignment with the road used for takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a construction sign during the initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1999 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Needles, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6448B · registry record · serial 29648
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the aircraft on a county road and taxied near an automotive service station. The pilot told the service station attendant that he was unsure if he had sufficient fuel aboard to reach his destination. He purchased 5 gallons of automotive gasoline in a container, carried it to the aircraft, and poured it in the right wing tank. With his one passenger aboard, the pilot then started the aircraft, taxied back up the road, turned around, and initiated takeoff. The road has a slight curve in the area and the witnesses were concerned that the aircraft did not appear properly aligned with the road. Immediately after the aircraft became airborne the left wing tip struck the post of a construction sign, the aircraft veered left, struck the top of a chain link fence, and nosed over inverted. The pilot told a Sheriff's deputy that he hit the pole because he lost directional control due to a gust of wind. The deputy estimated that winds were from the southwest about 5 knots with frequent, abrupt gusts to about 20 knots, and the temperature was in excess of 110 degrees (Fahrenheit).
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: 1,800 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: IFP Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from EED, 22 miles away
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.
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 LAX99LA217.