Cessna 172 accident near Johnson Valley, California, April 3, 2012
On April 3, 2012 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6749A, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Johnson Valley, California (Valley Vista Airport). It was a personal 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 did not properly secure the airplane prior to rotating the propeller by hand, resulting in inadvertent movement of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2012 · about 3:20 pm local time · cases in 2012
- Place
- Johnson Valley, California · Valley Vista Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 UNDESIGNAT · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6749A · registry record · serial 28849
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An acquaintance of the pilot had expressed an interest in learning to fly the pilot’s newly purchased airplane, and the pilot agreed to provide a demonstration/introductory flight. The acquaintance had no prior flight experience. On the morning of the planned flight, the pilot discovered that the airplane’s battery was dead and decided to start the engine by turning the propeller (hand-prop). He instructed the passenger, seated in the left seat, how to operate the brakes and throttle. The engine was hand-propped and started successfully by the pilot, but the airplane began to move forward. The pilot was unable to board the airplane, and the passenger was unable to control or stop the airplane or shut down the engine. An eyewitness reported that the engine rpm increased and the airplane accelerated as it traversed the airport. The airplane crossed a runway and struck a ground-mounted solar panel array located about 200 feet away. The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, engine mount, firewall, windscreen, wings, and nose landing gear. Four solar panels were also damaged. The passenger stated that due to inexperience, he was unable to properly operate the brakes, but he could not recall whether he attempted to manipulate the throttle during the event.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Parking/securing › Tie › down/mooring › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 9, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,072 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valley Vista Flyers Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 6CA5 Johnson Valley CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: 6CA5 Johnson Valley CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Eyewitness Interview Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Initial FAA Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Follow-up FAA Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Left Side View | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Nose Landing Gear | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Windscreen and Wing Leading Edge Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6749A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,692 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental Motors O-300 6,625 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Valley Vista Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,094 in the last ten years
- California 28,286 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR12CA153.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.