# Accident 20011216033769A: Cessna R182, Santa Maria, CA, December 16, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 16, 2001, 18:15 local time - Place: Santa Maria, CA - Airport: Santa Maria Public - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.8833° N, 120.4628° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8833&lon=-120.4628&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7317X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7317X) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna R182 (registry code 2072734, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r182) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA R182 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA050) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011216033769A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON DECEMBER 16, 2001, ABOUT 1815 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA R182, N7317X, LOST ENGINE POWER ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 30 AT THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC/CAPT G. ALLAN HANCOCK FIELD AIRPORT, SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT MADE A STOP AT THE HANFORD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HANFORD, CALIFORNIA, AND WAS RETURNING TO SANTA MARIA. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD DEPARTED SANTA MARIA ABOUT 1530 FOR HANFORD. ABOUT 1700, HE DEPARTED FOR THE RETURN TRIP TO SANTA MARIA. HE STATED THAT HE HAD REFUELED AT SANTA MARIA, AND IT WAS ABOUT 50 MINUTES ONE WAY. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE FLIGHT TO HANFORD OR THE RETURN TRIP. HE INDICATED THAT ABOUT 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT HE HAD WORK DONE ON THE DUAL MAGNETO. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN CLEARED TO LAND BEHIND ANOTHER AIRPLANE. PRIOR TO TURNING ON FINAL HE SAW THE OTHER AIRPLANE LANDING. AS HE TURNED ON FINAL THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE WOULDN'T RESTART HE TRIED TO MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE APPROACH END AND NOSED OVER. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE. DURING THE VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE HE NOTED THAT THE P-LEADS FROM THE DUAL MAGNETO WERE NOT CONNECTED. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE DUAL MAGNETO IS SCHEDULED. (-23) ON DECEMBER 16, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HOURS, PILOT JAMES D. WYATT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE POWER LOSS ON A BASE LEG TO FINAL FOR RUNWAY 30 AT SANTA MARIA AIRPORT, (SMX). THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A RETURN FLIGHT FROM HAYWARD AIRPORT, (HWD), WHEN IT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1450 FEET SHORT OF THE LANDING THRESHOLD. INSPECTORS BELKNAP AND JORGENSEN FROM THE VNY FSDO RESPONDED 12/18/01, INTERVIEWING MR. WYATT AND INSPECTING THE AIRCRAFT AND RECORDS. MR. WYATT STATED THAT AT 2000-FT DURING DESCENT HE PULLED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND AT 1500-FT ENTERING RIGHT BASE HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND ADDED 1 5 DEGREES OF FLAPS. AT THIS POINT HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO LOSE POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW HE KNEW THAT. I ASKED IF HE HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT OR IF HE SAW A LOSS IN MANIFOLD PRESSURE OR MORE PRECISELY HOW HE KNEW THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. HE RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT IF HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE IN THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE WENT UP BUT WITH NO POWER. HE THEN DID A MAGNETO CHECK AND HEARD WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A POPPING SOUND, HE ALSO PUSHED CARBURETOR HEAT IN WITH NO CHANGE SO HE PULLED IT BACK OUT. MR. WYATT THEN COMMITTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 30, HE SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR AND WAS SLOWING WHEN HE HIT THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCING WHICH FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT. ## 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 LAX02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA050), Dec 17, 2001: Cessna R182 (N7317X), Santa Maria, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Inadequate maintenance and inspection of the engine dual magneto that resulted in a loss of engine power during a critical phase of flight, and the subsequent undershoot forced landing in soft… ## Other reports on N7317X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19990420019579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990420019579A), Apr 20, 1999: Cessna R182 (N7317X), San Luis Obispo, CA, Substantial damage. On April 20, 1999, at 1834 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna R182, N7317X, was substantially damaged when the right wing collided with a sign during an off… 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.