# Accident 19961007031139A: Cessna 172C, Mesa, AZ, October 7, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 1996, 09:00 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.3995° N, 111.6292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3995&lon=-111.6292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1332Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1332Y-2010-01-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172C (registry code 2072408, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172C
- Reported engine: CONT O300C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 828 total, 4 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA007) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961007031139A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS ON TAKEOFF, ENGINE QUIT, GLIDED ONTO A FIELD SHORT OF RUNWAY. AND FLIPPED OVER.(.4) ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. WHILE ATTEMPTING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK. APPROXIMATELY 9 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT TANK, BUT THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY. THE FUEL WAS SIMILAR IN COLOR AND ODOR TO AUTO GAS. NO STC FOR AUTO GAS WAS REPORTED FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA007), Oct 7, 1996: Cessna 172C (N1332Y), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper use (positioning) of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.