Cessna 172 accident near Auburn, California, September 19, 2021
On September 19, 2021 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 172, registered N84068, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Auburn, California (Auburn Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadequate flare which resulted in a hard and bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2021 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 K, built 1969 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N84068 · no longer on the register · serial 17258321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that, the purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to perform his second solo flight. During his first landing, the airplane’s airspeed was fast. The airplane was diving toward the runway in a nose-low attitude and the nose wheel touched first. The airplane bounced several times before settling on the runway. The lower floorboards and firewall were substantially damaged. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,497 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2021; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 3,497 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07/2, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KAUN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAUN 192115Z AUTO 29005KT 10SM FEW050 FEW055 23/09 A3008 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 9, 2021. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Records of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photographs (Provided by FAA) | 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.
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.