# Accident 20020314003449A: Cessna 177B, Santaclarita, CA, March 14, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 14, 2002, 19:23 local time
- Place: Santaclarita, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2506° N, 118.4108° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2506&lon=-118.4108&mi=10
- Aircraft: N11487, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11487-2005-06-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177B (registry code 2073708, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020314003449A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON MARCH 14, 2002, AT 1923 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 177B, N11487, MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON A HIGHWAY NEAR SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. SKYCOMBERS, INC., WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED CALIFORNIA CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, CALIFORNIA CITY, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1840, EN ROUTE TO WHITEMAN FIELD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE THE DAY BEFORE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, AND HAD VISUALLY VERIFIED FULL FUEL BEFORE THAT FLIGHT. HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD OVER 2 HOURS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS. THE PILOT DEPARTED WHITEMAN ABOUT 1430 AND ARRIVED IN CALIFORNIA CITY ABOUT 1500. HE EXPERIENCED NO DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE DURING THE FLIGHT. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT TO WHITEMAN, THE PILOT HAD THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE ON THE "BOTH" POSITION. HE BEGAN HIS DESCENT TO WHITEMAN FROM HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 6,000 FEET. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER, BUT CONTINUED TO RUN FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES. HE TRIED OPERATING FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS INDIVIDUALLY, BUT THE ENGINE REMAINED AT REDUCED POWER. HE ALTERNATED THE MAGNETOS BETWEEN THE LEFT, RIGHT, AND BOTH POSITIONS. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND EVENTUALLY QUIT. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON FREQUENCY 121.5 AND LOOKED FOR A LANDING SITE. HE THOUGHT INTERSTATE 5 WAS TOO BUSY, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A SIDE ROAD. HE LANDED ON THE ROAD, BUT HIS WING COLLIDED WITH A LIGHT POLE AND VEERED INTO A FENCE. BOTH WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND THE FUSELAGE RIPPED OPEN. A DEPUTY, WHO ARRIVED ON SCENE WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF THE ACCIDENT, DID NOT SMELL FUEL, OBSERVE ANY PUDDLES OF FUEL ON THE GROUND, OR SEE ANY FUEL STAINS ON THE POLE. THE LEFT WING TANK RUPTURED, BUT THE RIGHT WING TANK DID NOT. THE DEPUTY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. (-23) PILOT RAN OUT OF GAS.

## 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 LAX02LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA107), Mar 15, 2002: Cessna 177B (N11487), Santa Clarita, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot performed inadequate planning and inaccurate fuel computations, and intiated flight without refueling. This resulted in a forced landing on a road at night due to fuel exhaustion.

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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