NTSB WPR21LA311 — 2021-07-25 · Kernville, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N728KG

Make / Model: CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture: 1979 · 42 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19790424
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A9C22C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N728KG Cessna 172N Minor

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing after an encounter with a wind gust which resulted in a collision with trees.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, she set up for a normal approach to runway 17. Just before initiating the landing flare, transitioning through an altitude of about 15 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane encountered a wind gust. The left wing lifted to a near vertical attitude and the pilot manipulated the throttle full forward to go-around. The airplane was too low to avoid the trees adjacent to the runway. The wings were substantially damaged when the airplane collided with several trees and came to rest nose-low with the nose gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Tree(s)-Effect on equipment
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Response/compensation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_WPR21LA311.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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