This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this writing will be corrected when/if the NTSB preliminary report is released.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N734ZK
- History of Flight:
On September 7, 2026, at about 1719 local time, a privately-registered Cessna 172 Skyhawk II, N734ZK, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF/KMYF), San Diego, California. The flight instructor and student pilot were fatally injured. The local training flight originated from KMYF.
According to flight-tracking history, the airplane was a frequent flyer out of KMYF, flying out on local flights on daily bases.
According to Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, at 1156 local time, the airplane departed KMYF and headed north to conduct a number of maneuvers before returning to the airport. The airplane conducted two touch-and-go(es) on runway 28L before coming to a stop. The flight lasted 49m.
At 1627, the airplane departed KMYF again and started a series of touch-and-go(es) on runway 28L. The accident occurred during the ninth go-around to runway 28L.
(ADS-B data section will be written soon I promise)
According to Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications, the controller informed N734ZK about traffic on 2 mile final for the parallel runway (28R) and cleared them to land on runway 28L. N734ZK acknowledged the message and stated they were looking for traffic. A few seconds later, N734ZK informed the controller they were going around. The controller told N734ZK to extend upwind and that traffic was 11 o'clock about a mile and a half entering the left downwind for the parallel runway. N734ZK responded that he was extending down upwind. The controller then told N734ZK to use caution because he was drifting to the north because traffic (a citation mustang) was departing in trail to westbound. N734ZK responded that they were correcting to the south. The controller then asked N734ZK to turn crosswind at Cessna for the parallel and "pass off your left". N734ZK responded that they were turning left "crosswind traffic in sight." The controller then said "Cessna 4ZK, and give it to you, Cessna mile ahead of you in the stadium, they're gonna turn base for the parallel number 1, runway 28L, cleared for the option, additional traffic approaching a 1 mile final for the parallel on the other side." N734ZK responded: "Yeah, looking for traffic ahead and you said we're number 1? 4ZK" The controller responded: "4ZK, affirmative, number 1, runway 28L cleared for the option." N734ZK then said: "okay, number 1, 28L, cleared for the option, 4ZK." A few seconds later, the controller said "Cessna 4ZK, on traffic for the parallel for your right." N734ZK responded that traffic was in sight. The controller then started talking to a different airplane and reported that winds were 310 at 17 knots gusting 22 knots. When the controller said this, The pilot of N734ZK said that they were going around. 4 seconds later, an impact sound was heard from N734ZK. The controller then told the other airplane on approach that "they just had an accident" and that the airport will be closed, shortly afterwards there was a 5-second transmission from N734ZK that suggests one of the pilots was screaming. There were no more transmissions from the accident airplane.
Witnesses at the airport stated that the airplane entered a stall/spin during the attempted go-around and struck the ground hard. A post crash fire ensued which prevented witnesses from reaching the occupants. Another witness on site stated: "Student and instructor third attempt at landing 28L, 40ยบ, crosswind 13-16 knots, stall/spin into the hold short line for 28L."
- Pilot Information:
Unknown at this point.
- Airplane Information:
The four-seat, high wing, fixed gear airplane, serial number 17269243, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320 engine.
According to the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH):
BALKED LANDING
In a balked landing (go-around) climb, reduce the wing flap setting to 20" immediately after full power is applied. If obstacles must be cleared during the go-around climb, reduce the wing flap setting to 10° and maintain a safe airspeed until the obstacles are cleared. Above 3000 feet, lean the mixture to obtain maximum RPM. After clearing any obstacles, the flaps may be retracted as the airplane accelerates to the normal flaps-up climb speed.
MANEUVER LIMITS
NORMAL CATEGORY
This airplane is certificated in both the normal and utility category. The normal category is applicable to aircraft intended for non aerobatic operations. These include any maneuvers incidental to normal flying, stalls (except whip stalls), lazy eights, chandelles, and turns in which the angle of bank is not more than 60°. Aerobatic maneuvers, including spins, are not approved.
The stall speed (CAS) with flaps up, power off was 50 knots, the stall speed (CAS) with flaps down, power off was 44 knots.
Stalls
The stall characteristics are conventional and aural warning is provided by a stall warning horn which sounds between 5 and 10 knots above stall in all configurations.
Power-off stall speeds at maximum weight for both forward and aft c.g. positions are presented in Section 5.
STATL SPEEDS
CONDITIONS:
- Power Off
- 1. Maximum altitude loss during a stall recovery may be as much as 180 feet.
- 2. KIAS values are approximate
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane came to rest upright on the shortline holding point for runway 28L. There was a post crash fire that consumed the passenger cabin. Both wings and tail remained attached to the airframe, and there was no debris field leading to the main wreckage. The wings and tail showed little to no impact damage. The impact appears consistent with a flat aerodynamic stall/spin with little to no forward airspeed.
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| Figure: Last ADS-B data point compared to accident site location |
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| Figure: Airplane at rest |
- Airport Information:
The Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport is a public airport located six miles north of downtown San Diego, California. The airport covers an area of 456 acres and features three runways, one public helipad, and two private helipads. The runways are 28R/10L and 28L/10R (parallel) and 5/23. The airport field elevation is 427.3 ft.
Runway 10R/28L is 3401 x 60 ft.
- Weather:
(1) Brief:
The KMYF weather observation recorded at 1653 noted: winds from 320 at 17 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, no clouds under 12,000 ft (CLR), temperature 32°C, dew point 18°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.83 inches of mercury (inHg). The calculated density altitude was 2637 ft.
The KMYF weather observation recorded at 1753 noted: winds from 330 at 16 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, no clouds under 12,000 ft (CLR), temperature 32°C, dew point 18°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.84 inches of mercury (inHg).
(2) METARs:
METAR KMYF 072353Z 32017KT 10SM CLR 32/18 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP094 T03170183 10378 20317 55006
METAR KMYF 080053Z 33016KT 10SM CLR 32/18 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP098 T03170178
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
912 FXUS66 KSGX 072330 AFDSGX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Diego CA 430 PM PDT Mon Sep 7 2026 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered light rain possible through the afternoon. An isolated thunderstorm or two cannot be ruled out today. Hot conditions expected for the middle to end of the work week, resulting in areas of moderate to major HeatRisk. Slight chance of mountain showers and thunderstorms Tuesday and Wednesday. Gradual cooling for the weekend. && .DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES... ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... Radar reflectivity has been quite active this morning, with consistent returns across the area north of San Diego County. It`s likely the majority of that precipitation is not actually reaching the ground with only an additional 0.01-0.08 inches of rain recorded since 4 AM. Light rain is possible through the rest of the day, with accumulations expected to be light and scattered in nature. An isolated thunderstorm or two cannot be ruled out, most likely for the coast, valleys, and mountains north of San Diego County and in the High Desert. High cloud coverage continues to be widespread today, but is expected to thin out tomorrow. Precipitable water values are expected to remain elevated which will keep overnight lows elevated and conditions feeling tropical. The tropical feeling airmass is expected to disrupt marine layer low cloud and fog development and may result in a weaker afternoon sea breeze. This will contribute to high and low temperatures along the coast running 10 to 15 degrees above average. Further inland, daytime highs will be 5 to 10 degrees above average with a more notable increase in low temperatures which are expectd to run 8 to 15 degrees above average. Hottest conditions are expected Tuesday through Thursday for the coast, valleys, and mountains below 5000 ft with hottest conditions expected in the low desert Wednesday through Friday. Widespread moderate to areas of major HeatRisk are expected. The lingering moisture and increased sunshine for Tuesday and Wednesday will increase chances of afternoon showers and thunderstorms over the mountains. There is expected to be little to no additional forcing outside of the usual diurnal heating so coverage of any thunderstorms should be fairly isolated. By Thursday, a transient ridge of high pressure is expected to move directly over Southern California. This would result in an airmass likely too stable for thunderstorm development, although with lingering moisture in the air a few showers cannot be ruled out over the mountains. There is a spread in potential outcomes for the upper level pattern over the upcoming weekend. 32 percent of ensemble solutions have a trough over the Pacific Northwest, which would bring noticeable relief from the heat and humidity. 17 percent of solutions keep the ridge overhead which would prolong the heat event. The rest of the solutions are somewhere in between, with a slower passage of the trough but a weakening of the ridge. Current forecast follows the NBM and is more inline with the "in between" solutions with a gradual decrease in both high and low temperatures Friday through Sunday. && .AVIATION... 080000Z...VFR conditions expected across the region through Tuesday morning. SCT-BKN high clouds around 10-20 kft will continue through most of Tuesday. ISO-SCT -SHRA/localized TSRA will continue for San Diego Co mtns and deserts + areas north of San Diego County for the next few hours, tapering off around 03Z. Mtns/Desert Foothills...Good chance for ISO -SHRA and TSRA (20-40% chance for any one area) again over inland mtns into the desert foothills 20Z Tue through 03Z Wed. Brief heavier precip, localized gusty winds, and lightning possible in storms. && .MARINE... No hazardous marine conditions are expected through Friday. && .BEACHES... A large south swell from Hurricane Marie will continue to produce large surf of 4 to 7 feet, with sets up to 10 feet this morning, highest on south and southwest facing beaches. This will result in elevated to high surf and strong rip and longshore currents, creating hazardous swimming conditions. Additionally, high tides during the evenings will combine with the high surf to produce minor tidal overflow, coastal flooding, and localized beach erosion. Swell and surf will gradually diminish tonight through Tuesday night. Check the Coastal Hazard Message for details. && .SKYWARN... Skywarn activation is not requested. However weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions. && .SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...Coastal Flood Advisory until 11 PM PDT Tuesday for Orange County Coastal Areas-San Diego County Coastal Areas. High Surf Advisory until 11 PM PDT Tuesday for Orange County Coastal Areas-San Diego County Coastal Areas. Heat Advisory from 10 AM Tuesday to 8 PM PDT Thursday for Orange County Coastal Areas-Orange County Inland Areas-Riverside County Mountains-San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire-San Diego County Coastal Areas- San Diego County Mountains-San Diego County Valleys-Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills. Extreme Heat Warning from 10 AM Wednesday to 8 PM PDT Friday for Coachella Valley-San Diego County Deserts-San Gorgonio Pass near Banning. PZ...None. && $$ PUBLIC...CO AVIATION/MARINE/BEACHES...CSP
- Additional Information:
According to the NTSB Safety Alert: "Prevent Aerodynamic Stalls at Low Altitude"
While maneuvering an airplane at low altitude in visual meteorological conditions, many pilots fail to avoid conditions that lead to an aerodynamic stall, recognize the warning signs of a stall onset, and apply appropriate recovery techniques. Many stall accidents result when a pilot is momentarily distracted from the primary task of flying, such as while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, during an emergency, or when fixating on ground objects.
An aerodynamic stall can happen at any airspeed, at any altitude, and with any engine power setting. Pilots need to be honest with themselves about their knowledge of stalls and preparedness to recognize and handle a stall situation. Training can help pilots fully understand the stall phenomenon, including angle-of-attack concepts and how weight, center of gravity, turbulence, maneuvering loads and other factors can affect an airplane's stall characteristics. The stall characteristics may be different in each type of plane, so learn them before you fly.
The stall airspeeds marked on the airspeed indicator (for example, the bottom of the green arc and the bottom of the white arc) typically represent steady flight speeds at 1G at the airplane's maximum gross weight in the specified configuration. Maneuvering loads and other factors can increase the airspeed at which the airplane will stall. For example, increasing bank angle can increase stall speed exponentially.
Reducing angle of attack by lowering the airplane's nose at the first indication of a stall is the most important immediate response for stall avoidance and stall recovery. This may seem counterintuitive at low altitudes, but is a necessary first step.
See http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-alerts/documents/SA_019.pdf for additional resources.
The NTSB presents this information to prevent recurrence of similar accidents. Note that this should not be considered guidance from the regulator, nor does this supersede existing FAA Regulations (FARs).
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