# Accident 20020224003379A: Cessna 172N, February 24, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 24, 2002, 17:50 local time - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.9278° N, 119.8519° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9278&lon=-119.8519&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1977F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1977F) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA094) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020224003379A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT WHEN HE BELIEVED THAT FOG WAS FORMING IN THE AREA. HE WAS UNABLE TO FIND AN AIRPORT AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HE FOUND A 700' PAVED STRIP USED BY A RADIO CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT CLUB AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON IT. HE LANDED ON THE LAST 1/3 OF THE STRIP AND ROLLED INTO A DITCH CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO OVERTURN INTO AN INVERTED POSITION. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FOG PRESENT. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, FILE A FLIGHT PLAN, OR REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM ATC OR ANY OTHER SOURCE DURING THE FLIGHT.POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEWS OF THE PILOT BY B OTH FAA AND NTSB INVESTIGATORS INDICATE THE PILOT WAS CONFUSED AND UNABLE TO RECALL EVENTS OR HIS ACTIONS.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (.19) ON FEBRUARY 24, 2002, ABOUT 1750 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N1977F, NOSED OVER DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AN AIRSTRIP, ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF MADERA, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DA MAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO OWNED AND OPERATED THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND IT ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR TRANQUILLITY, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1630. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE BECAME CONCERNED AND UNCERTAIN REGARDING HIS LOCATION, AND IT WAS FOGGY. HE STATED THAT HE ONLY PLANNED TO MAKE A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, AND HE HAD TAKEN OFF FROM TRANQUILLITY SOMETIME AFTER 1400, BUT HE WAS NOT CERTAIN OF THE TIME. ALSO, BEING UNCERTAIN OF HIS POSITION, HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT REPEATED THAT HE LANDED BECAUSE HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY FLYING DUE TO THE FOG. RESPONDING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON AN ESTIMATED 650- TO 700-FOOT-LONG AIRSTRIP. THE AIRSTRIP IS PRINCIPALLY INTENDED FOR USE BY OPERATORS OF RADIO CONTROLLED MODEL AIRPLANES. THE OFFICERS INDICATED THAT DURING ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP, IMPACTED A BERM, AND NOSED OVER. THE OFFICERS STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FOG IN THE AREA. THE VISIBILITY WAS UNRESTRICTED. THE TWO NEAREST AIRPORTS TO THE ACCIDENT SITE THAT REPORTED AVIATION WEATHER ARE LOCATED AT MADERA AND FRESNO. THEY ARE ABOUT 15 MILES WEST AND 10 MILES SOUTH, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ELEVATION OF MADERA, FRESNO, AND THE ACCIDENT SITE ARE, RESPECTIVELY, 253 FEET, 336 FEET, AND ABOUT 382 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. IN PERTINENT PART, NO FOG OR OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION WERE REPORTED AT THESE AIRPORTS DURING THE TIME OF THE PILOT'S FLIGHT. MADERA REPORTED ITS VISIBILITY WAS 10 MILES, AND THE SKY CONDITION WAS CLEAR. FRESNO REPORTED ITS VISIBILITY WAS ALSO 10 MILES, AND FEW CLOUDS EXISTED AT 20,000 FEET. SUNSET OCCURRED ABOUT 1750. ## 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 LAX02LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA094), Feb 25, 2002: Cessna 172N (N1977F), Madera, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's becoming lost/disoriented. 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.