Cessna 172N accident near Carlsbad, California, September 5, 1999
On September 5, 1999 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733WX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carlsbad, California (Mcclellan-Palomar airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles during taxi in a confined space.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mcclellan-Palomar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733WX · registry record · serial 17268617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was tied down in an area from which it was required to taxi down a road to gain access to the regular taxiway. As the pilot taxied down the narrow road, the left wing tip hit an unmarked telephone pole that was close to the taxiway.
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: 920 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 815 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Plus One Flyers, INC
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ at 8:00 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.