Cessna 172N accident near San Diego, California, September 8, 2026
On September 8, 2026, a 1977 Cessna 172N, registered N734ZK, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near San Diego, California (Montgomery-Gibbs Exec airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2026
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery-Gibbs Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1977 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734ZK · registry record · serial 17269243
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 7, 2026, about 1720 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N734ZK, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near San Diego, California. The flight instructor and student pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Preliminary ADS-B data showed the airplane departed Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF), San Diego, California about 1615. The airplane remained in the local airport traffic pattern for the duration of the accident flight, performing nine left-hand visual traffic patterns to runway 28L. Airport and nearby business security cameras captured portions of the accident flight as the airplane approached the runway and as the pilots performed multiple go around maneuvers. Witnesses also observed the airplane and described the airplane as flying very erratically during multiple go-around maneuvers, pitching upward steeply after the go-around was initiated, flying very slow, and “stalling” before the airplane recovered. On the nineth approach the airplane can be seen in one of the videos flying low near the ground as it approached the runway, nosing over, pitching up and then nosing over a second time. The airplane then entered a steep nose high pitch attitude prior to the runway 28L threshold. The airplane appeared to attain about 45° pitch up attitude while about 100 to 200 ft above ground level. The airplane entered a steep left descending turn and impacted runway 28L near the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest on taxiway B and a post impact fire ensued. The wreckage was examined on scene. The fuselage, inboard wings, and cowling sustained heavy thermal damage. The inboard sections of both wing fuel tanks were partially consumed by fire. All primary flight controls were identified at the accident site. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface. The engine was examined and the crankshaft was rotated in its normal direction of rotation. Thumb compression was obtained on all four cylinders. Equal movement of all intake and exhaust rocker arms was observed on all cylinders. The aluminum fixed pitch 2-blade propeller remained attached to the crankshaft propeller flange. Blade “A” exhibited rearward bending and torsional twisting along its blade length with its tip missing. Blade “B” was mostly thermally consumed by the post impact fire. Two sections of propeller tip were found between the initial impact marks and the main wreckage. Each portion of blade tip found was twisted, fractured, and heavily scored. No anomalies were identified that would have precluded the normal production of engine power.
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 aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 2026
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Runway 10R/, 3,401 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 pm from KMYF
Weather report (METAR): KMYF 080020Z 33016KT 10SM CLR 33/18 A2983 520 41 2700 320/16 RMK AO2 T03280183
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N734ZK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26FA330.