Cessna 172S accident near Lathrop, California, October 4, 2025
On October 4, 2025 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172S, registered N103VK, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Lathrop, California (Open Field). 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2025 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lathrop, California · Open Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2000 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N103VK · registry record · serial 172S8532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a training flight in visual meteorological conditions at 900 ft mean sea level, an object impacted the left wing of the airplane, which resulted in substantial damage. According to the FAA, there were no reported missing drones in the area at the time of the accident and a review of radar data showed no primary radar targets in the area. The FAA reported significant bird migration activity, which included several large bird species that would have been active in the area at the time of the accident. While there was no evidence of bird remnants or feathers on the wing, the impact area spanned nearly 3 ft with no puncture of the leading-edge skin, consistent with impact with a large bird. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Birdstrike during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,982 hours in all; 378 in this make and model; 112.4 in the last 90 days; 16.3 in the last 30 days; 1,908 as pilot in command; 1,692 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 17, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 225.2 hours in all; 80.3 in this make and model; 63.3 in the last 90 days; 29.7 in the last 30 days; 172.9 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,651.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 10-360-L2A (piston); 12,801 hours total
- Operator: Skyview Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TCY Tracy CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from TCY, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTCY 042035Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 23/10 A2995 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N103VK 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR26LA015.