Cessna 172M accident near Marysville, California, August 10, 2023
On August 10, 2023 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 172M, registered N20268, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Marysville, California (Yuba County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to monitor the airplane’s speed during a high-speed taxi, resulting in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2023 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Marysville, California · Yuba County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1972 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20268 · registry record · serial 17261144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, he was conducting a high-speed taxi exercise on the runway with a student pilot, to work on rudder control. He instructed the student to remain at or below 50 mph and that they would begin slowing the airplane about 1,000 ft from the departure end of the runway. About halfway down the length of the runway, the instructor noticed that the airspeed seemed high, and he informed the student that they needed to decrease the airplane’s speed; however, the airplane continued to accelerate. When the instructor told the student to begin their deceleration, the airplane did not decelerate as expected. As the airplane overran the runway, the instructor took the flight controls and elected to take off. The airplane was flown to the originating airport, where substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator was discovered during postflight inspection, which resulted from impact with a runway end light during the runway excursion. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 849 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 765 as pilot in command; 198 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 2, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 1,543 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAUN Auburn CA at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 6,007 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from MYV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMYV 112053Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR 29/15 A2993 RMK AO2 SLPNO T02940150 58015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 30, 2023. 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 Cfi/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Cfi's Statement/full Narrative from 6120.1 | PDF, 5 pages | 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.