# Accident 19970621018509A: Cessna 172N, Cuyama, CA, June 21, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 21, 1997, 18:30 local time
- Place: Cuyama, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.9801° N, 119.7993° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9801&lon=-119.7993&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6141D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6141D-2000-09-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 500 total, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97FA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA286) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970621018509A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRPLANE FOR A LOCAL AREA SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT OVER NEARBY MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND HE DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AT 1805. THE OPERATOR AND FAMILY MEMBERS BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT INTENDED TO RETURN BY 1930. NO COMMUNICATIONS WITH OR WITNESS SIGHTINGS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE REPORTED FOLLOWING DEPARTURE. THE PILOT INITIALLY HEADED IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION TOWARD THE SANTA YNEZ AREA. ABOUT 1 2/3 MONTHS LATER, THE WRECKAGE WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT 21 MILES NORTH OF SANTA BARBARA. A POSTIMPACT GROUND FIRE DESTROYED MOST OF THE WRECKAGE, AND INSUFFICIENT REMAINS EXISTED FOR PERFORMANCE OF AN AUTOPSY OR TOXICOLOGY TESTS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURES. BASED UPON GROUND SCAR EVIDENCE AND THE PARTIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WRECKAGE, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINSIDE WHILE DESCENDING (OR MANEUVERING) NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE FACE OF THE 40 DEGREE UPSLOPING MOUNTAINSIDE AT 5,400 FEET MSL. NO UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENA WERE OBSERVED OR REPORTED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## 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 LAX97FA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA286), Jun 22, 1997: Cessna 172N (N6141D), Cuyama, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: undetermined.

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.