# Accident 20010817023349A: Cessna 172A, Groveland, CA, August 17, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 17, 2001, 17:10 local time - Place: Groveland, CA - Airport: Pine Mountain Lake Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.8503° N, 120.0107° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8503&lon=-120.0107&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7198T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7198T-2007-08-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172A (registry code 2072404, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172A - Reported engine: CONT O300C - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA282) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010817023349A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON AUGUST 17, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 1710 LOCAL TIME (PDT), N7198T A CESSNA 172A DEPARTED PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE AIRPORT OFF OF RNWY 27. AFTER TAKE OFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 75/100 FT. AGL, AND CLEARING THE END OF THE RNWY, THE A/C EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. APPROXIMATELY 300 FT PAST THE END OF THE RNWY, THE A/C CLIPPED A KNOLL WITH THE LT WING, TRAVELED APPX. 50 FT., THE RT. WING STRUCK TWO TREES THE SECOND SHEARED THE RT, WING OFF, SPUN THE A/C 90 DEGREES, IT CAME TO REST ON A HEADING OF 360 DEGREES. THE PIC EGRESSED WITH MINOR INJURIES, DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. NOTE: NTSB RELEASED THE A/C WRECKAGE TO THE OWNER/OPERATOR PRIOR TO NOTIFYING THE REPORTING FAA IIC. (.19) ON AUGUST 17, 2001, ABOUT 1710 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172-A, N7198T, MADE AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ABOUT 2 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE FROM PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE AIRPORT, GROVELAND, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT , SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HADN'T FLOWN IN SEVERAL MONTHS, SO HE DRAINED THE FUEL TANKS AND REFILLED THEM PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE DID A RUN-UP AND EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL THROUGH THE TAKEOFF. ABOUT 75 FEET AGL THE AIRPLANE STOPPED CLIMBING. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE SPEED HAD REDUCED BY ABOUT 300 RPM AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. HE SAW A CLEARING IN THE TREES BELOW HIM SO HE ELECTED TO LAND, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE WINGS CONTACTED THE TREES. (.4) ON AUGUST 17, 2001, ABOUT 1715 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172-A, N7198T, MADE AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ABOUT 2 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE FROM PINE MOUNTAIN LAKE AIRPORT, GROVELAND, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGH T PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE, DRAINED FUEL, AND COMPLETED AN EXTENSIVE RUN-UP. HE TAXIED TO THE FUEL PUMPS AND ADDED OVER 18 GALLONS OF FUEL. HE DID ANOTHER RUN-UP AND DEPARTED. ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN POWER SO HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED UP SLOPING TERRAIN; THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED TREES AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AIR YOSEMITE IN COLOMBIA, CALIFORNIA, INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE. MECHANICS OBSERVED THAT ALL ENGINE CONTROLS WERE SECURE AND FUNCTIONING. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX WAS INTACT AND FUNCTIONING. THE MAGNETOS WERE TIMED TO WITHIN 1 DEGREE OF EACH OTHER. THE MECHANIC DID NOT RECALL ANY DISCOLORATION ON THE SPARK PLUGS THAT GARNERED HIS ATTENTION. ALL CYLINDERS EXCEPT CYLINDER NO. 5 HAD COMPRESSION GREATER THAN 70/80; CYLINDER NO.5 WAS 25/80. THE MECHANIC STATED HE HEARD AIR LEAKING FROM THE EXHAUST. HE STAKED THE VALVE, BUT THE COMPRESSION DID NOT CHANGE. MECHANICS OBSERVED 3 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE GASCOLATOR. THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER; HOWEVER, THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND MAIN FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED ONLY FUEL. THE TANK VENTS WERE CLEAR. ## 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 LAX01LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA282), Aug 18, 2001: Cessna 172-A (N7198T), Groveland, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due to water contamination forced the pilot to land in an unsuitable area resulting in collision with a tree. 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.