# Accident 20010320005549A: Cessna 172RG, Palo Alto, CA, March 20, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 20, 2001, 15:00 local time
- Place: Palo Alto, CA
- Airport: Palo Alto Airport-Santa Clara Cou
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4097° N, 122.1693° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4097&lon=-122.1693&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6307R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6307R-2013-05-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010320005549A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON MARCH 20, 2001, AT 1500 HOURS PST, A CESSNA 172RG, N6307R, LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN DIRT FIELD IN STANFORD, CA., WHERE IT CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE WEST VALLEY FLYING CLUB AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CFI AND THE PRIVATE PILOTWERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL DAMAGE PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM THE PALO ALTO AIRPORT OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, PALO ALTO, CA., AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION FOR A COMPLEX AIRPLANE CHECKOUT. THE CFI STATED THAT THEY WERE OVER WEBB RANCH, ABOUT 2000 FETT MSL WHEN HE NOTED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. HE CONTACTED THE PALO ALTO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE STATED AT 1,600 FEET THE ENGINE STOPPED. HE AND THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE SYSTEMS. HE NOTED AT ONE POINT THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THEY HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. HE SET UP FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING ON A SIDE ROAD. A TRUCK ENTERED THE ROAD, AND HE HAD TO MANUEVER THE AIRPLANE ONTO AN OPEN FIELD. ON THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT DIRT AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO HOME BASE WHEN THE CFI ASKED HIM IF HE HEARD KNOCKING. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE DID HEAR THE KNOCKING. THEY BOTH NOTED THE OIL PRESSURE WAS AT ZERO. THE KNOCKING CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY. THE CFI DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. A FAA INSPECTOR INSPECTED THE ENGINE. A TEXTRON LYCOMING ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE, WHO WAS A PARTY TO THE INVESTIGATION, ASSISTED THE FAA. THEY FOUND THAT THE OIL FILTER HAD NOT BEEN TIGHTENED OR SAFETY WIRED TO THE ENGINE. THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE, FIREWALL, AND THE REAR OF THE ENGINE WAS COATED WITH OIL. THE ENGINE WAS SIEZED. A SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE LOGBOOKS. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DONE ON MARCH 21,2000. ON MARCH 19, 2001, MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE AIRPLANE THAT INCLUDED AN OIL CHANGE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (-23) ON MARCH 20, 2001 AT APPROX. 1435 PST AIRCRAFT N6307R A CESSNA 172RG MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO A FAILED ENGINE ON A PLOWED FIELD 5.4 STATUTE MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE PALO ALTO AIRPORT )PAO). THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS GIVING COMPLEX AIRCRAFT TRANSITION TRAINING TO A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND PRIVATE PILOT SUBSTAINED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 LAX01LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA123), Mar 20, 2001: Cessna 172RG (N6307R), Stanford, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of company maintenance personnel to properly install and safety wire the oil filter, which subsequently lead to a 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.