What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 2, 2000, at 1820 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 172G, N3690L, was substantially damaged during an emergency landing on a county road at Victorville, California, following partial loss of engine power. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was operated under 14 CFR part 91 by riverside (California) air service. The flight departed bullhead city, Arizona, about 1515 and no flight plan was filed. (.4) the pilot reported that, 2 hours 15 minutes after takeoff, the airplane's electrical generator failed and the airplane subsequently experienced electrical power failure. He said the engine then began to run rough. The recently licensed private pilot was not certain of his position and he made a precautionary landing at dusk on a county road. As the airplane touched down, the left wing struck a street sign which deflected the airplane across the highway median and across the (opposite direction) traffic lanes. The accident occurred 2 hours 45 minutes after takeoff. The airway distance from the departure airport to the intended destination was 167 nautical miles, and t he distance to the accident location was approximately 142 nautical miles. Subsequent examination and a test run of the engine revealed no reason for the reported roughness.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 2, 2000, AT 1820 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172G, N3690L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A COUNTY ROAD AT VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA, FOLLOWING PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY RIVERSIDE (CALIFORNIA) AIR SERVICE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA, ABOUT 1515 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL GENERATOR FAILED AND THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL POWER FAILURE. HE SAID THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE RECENTLY LICENSED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT CERTAIN OF HIS POSITION AND HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT DUSK ON A COUNTY ROAD. AS THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A STREET SIGN WHICH DEFLECTED THE AIRPLANE ACROSS THE HIGHWAY MEDIAN AND ACROSS THE (OPPOSITE DIRECTION) TRAFFIC LANES. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THE AIRWAY DISTANCE FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION WAS 167 NAUTICAL MILES, AND T HE DISTANCE TO THE ACCIDENT LOCATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 142 NAUTICAL MILES. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION AND A TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO REASON FOR THE REPORTED ROUGHNESS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.