Cessna 172K accident near Taft, California, July 16, 1999
On July 16, 1999 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N46451, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taft, California (Taft - Kern County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of the wrong runway in consideration of the wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control. The pilot's decision to abort the landing attempt with inadequate runway remaining for the takeoff phase was also causal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1999 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Taft, California · Taft - Kern County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46451 · registry record · serial 17257278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was going to practice landings. He planned to land on runway 25 and depart on runway 07 due to terrain and runway slope considerations. He said the winds were from 050 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. He made a go-around on his first attempted landing, then made a full stop landing on runway 25 and took off on runway 7. On his third attempt, he landed on runway 25 with full flaps and the airplane began drifting to the right as it slowed down. As he was correcting, he felt the nose wheel 'skid/shimmy.' He was approximately halfway down the runway at 35 knots, when the airplane departed the right side of the runway and he decided to abort the landing. He re-entered the runway with approximately 150 yards of pavement remaining and rotated at approximately 50 knots with 30 yards of asphalt remaining. During the takeoff initial climb, the airplane collided with trees and a power lines. Examination of the runway determined the airplane veered about 80 feet off the runway into a dirt area, and that the airplane lifted off about 270 yards from the airport boundary fence. The first set of power lines was less than 0.25-mile from the runway.
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: 48 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,295 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 9, 1999; 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: L45 Bakersfield CA
- Destination: L17
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,550 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.