Cessna 172 accident near Palm Springs, California, December 4, 2020
On December 4, 2020 at about 10:11 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172, registered N737NB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs International Air airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, aerodynamic stall, and subsequent impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2020 · about 10:11 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs International Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1977 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N737NB · no longer on the register · serial 17269536
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and her flight instructor performed three takeoffs and landings to a full stop prior to the accident. During this time, the flight instructor observed no engine anomalies. He exited the airplane and the student pilot then performed two successful takeoffs and landings to a full stop. On the third landing attempt, the airplane touched down hard, bounced, and began to porpoise. The student pilot attempted a go-around and started a shallow climb. The airplane leveled off about midfield before it turned left and entered a nose-down dive and impacted the ground. Surveillance video showed the airplane in a shallow climb and subsequently captured it leveling off before starting the left turn. A postaccident engine examination revealed severely worn intake tappets and camshaft lobes; however, this wear would have occurred over time and is not likely to have demonstrated as a sudden loss of power. Further, it is doubtful that the engine suffered a loss of power as the student pilot and flight instructor did not recall noticing any deficiencies with the engine prior to this flight and no other abnormalities were noted during the engine examination. One witness reported that the airplane appeared to be producing less power than it did during prior operations in the traffic pattern. However, the investigation could not substantiate this statement with other evidence. The investigation did not find any preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane’s flight control system. The investigation was unable to determine why the student pilot made a left turn after initiating the attempted go-around as the student pilot was unable to recall any details about the accident flight. The available evidence is consistent with her failure to maintain aircraft control during the subsequent climb and exceeding the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with the ground.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 42.3 hours in all; 42.3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,126.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 2020; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTRM Palm Springs CA
- Destination: KTRM Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 4,952 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPSP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
19 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2022. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.