What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-19) On April 18, 2001, at 1420 hours PDT, a Cessna 172B, N4672L, was substantially damaged during an off-airport emergency landing, 28 miles west of Lancaster, CA. According to the pilot, the forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of engine power during cruise. The certificated commerical pilot and one passenger received serious injuries and the second passenger received minor injuries. The personal flight was operated by the owner under 14 CFR part 91. The flight departed from camarillo, California, at 1400, and was destined for rosamond, CA. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. (-23) appears that the pilot became engrossed in the purpose of the flight, which was looking at wildflowers with 2 pax, got low, found himself in a box canyon wiht rising terrain, and not considering the density altitude and payload, tried to climb out and hit the ground with wings level. The pilot, however, says that the engine lost power and quit. The propeller was not turning when the aircraft hit the ground. (.4) the pilot attempted to climb the airplane into rising terrain in a box canyon. Surface wind at 18 knots with gusts to 24 knots formed a downdraft on the lee side of a ridge forming one side of the canyon. The density altiude was 5,000 feet. The pilot reported the aircraft "experienced involuntary descent" and despite full engine power the aircraft was "unable to gain/maintain altiude resulting in [a] forced landing." He also reported he "put in a little flap to keep from settling." No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
(-19) ON APRIL 18, 2001, AT 1420 HOURS PDT, A CESSNA 172B, N4672L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING, 28 MILES WEST OF LANCASTER, CA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERICAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE SECOND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, AT 1400, AND WAS DESTINED FOR ROSAMOND, CA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (-23) APPEARS THAT THE PILOT BECAME ENGROSSED IN THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS LOOKING AT WILDFLOWERS WITH 2 PAX, GOT LOW, FOUND HIMSELF IN A BOX CANYON WIHT RISING TERRAIN, AND NOT CONSIDERING THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AND PAYLOAD, TRIED TO CLIMB OUT AND HIT THE GROUND WITH WINGS LEVEL. THE PILOT, HOWEVER, SAYS THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND QUIT. THE PROPELLER WAS NOT TURNING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND. (.4) THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB THE AIRPLANE INTO RISING TERRAIN IN A BOX CANYON. SURFACE WIND AT 18 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 24 KNOTS FORMED A DOWNDRAFT ON THE LEE SIDE OF A RIDGE FORMING ONE SIDE OF THE CANYON. THE DENSITY ALTIUDE WAS 5,000 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT "EXPERIENCED INVOLUNTARY DESCENT" AND DESPITE FULL ENGINE POWER THE AIRCRAFT WAS "UNABLE TO GAIN/MAINTAIN ALTIUDE RESULTING IN [A] FORCED LANDING." HE ALSO REPORTED HE "PUT IN A LITTLE FLAP TO KEEP FROM SETTLING." NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.