# Accident 20040111011869A: Cessna 140, Vacaville, CA, January 11, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 11, 2004, 18:30 local time
- Place: Vacaville, CA
- Airport: Nut Tree Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3769° N, 121.9625° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3769&lon=-121.9625&mi=10
- Aircraft: N77S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N77S-2012-08-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 140 (registry code 2071602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 140
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 830 total, 100 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040111011869A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE WEATHER (FOG) MOVED IN AND COVERED THE AIRPORT BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM NAPA AIRPORT (APB) HE DID NOT CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE HIS FLIGHT. WHILE CIRCLING NUT TREE AIRPORT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK AT THAT TIME HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BY BROADCASTING "MAY DAY, MAY DAY" ON 121.5. CONTINENTAL O41 RELAYED THE MAY DAY TO NORCAL. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT FUEL WAS DEPLETED FROM BOTH TANKS. AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE NUT TREE AIRPORT.

## 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 LAX04LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA092), Jan 12, 2004: Cessna 140 (N77S), Vacaville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to either obtain a preflight weather report and forecast for the destination or to add additional fuel, which ultimately resulted in fuel exhaustion and collision with trees.

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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