# Incident 20020303005489I: Cessna 172M, San Antonio, TX, March 3, 2002

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 3, 2002, 15:19 local time
- Place: San Antonio, TX
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: W78S
- Location: 29.4241° N, 98.4936° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Antonio, TX, within about 13 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4241&lon=-98.4936&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9144H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9144H-2018-01-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,980 total, 544 in this make and model, 265 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020303005489I

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND TWO STUDENTS OBSERVED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY BOX COVER WAS NOT SECURED AND HAD BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE BATTERY POSITIVE TERMINAL AND THE AIRCRAFT FIREWALL. THIS RESULTED IN A DIRECT SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH BURNED A SMALL HOLE IN THE FIREWALL.

## Other reports on N9144H (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20080528837249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080528837249A), May 28, 2008: Cessna 172M (N9144H), San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) N9144H collided with a parked fuel truck on the wright flyers ramp, while taxiing to the active runway 12L after receiving clearance by ground control.…

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.

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