# Accident 20090109002089A: Cessna R172K, Palo Alto, CA, January 9, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 2009, 22:15 local time
- Place: Palo Alto, CA
- Airport: Palo Alto Airport Of Santa Clara
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5378° N, 122.1039° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5378&lon=-122.1039&mi=10
- Aircraft: N758FN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N758FN-2010-11-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna R172K (registry code 2072431, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA R172K
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,417 total, 1,007 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090109002089A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JANUARY 9, 2009 AT 2215 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA R172K, N758FN, MADE AN EMERGENCY OFF FIELD LANDING SHORTLY FOLLOWING TAKING OFF FROM THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PALO ALTO CALIFORNIA.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE OFF FIELD EMERENCY LANDING.  THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT INJURED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED BY THE PILOT, AND THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91.  NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT.  THE CERTIFICATED PILOT STATED THAT SHORTLY FOLLOWING HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND WAS LOSING POWER, HIS INSTRUMENTS WERE READING ERRATIC AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY.  HE FELT THAT RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT WAS NOT AN OPTION, AND ELECTED TO LAND ON A LEVY NEXT TO THE DUMBARTON BRIDGE.  THE SURFACE OF THE LEVY WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH, AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF AND NOSED OVER IN AN ADJACENT SALT POND.

## 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 WPR09LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA077), Jan 10, 2009: Cessna R172K (N758FN), Fremont, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to an oil pump/tachometer drive gear failure for undetermined reasons.

## Other reports on N758FN (1)

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

- [Accident 19841014058479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841014058479A), Oct 14, 1984: Cessna R172K (N758FN), Corning, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot lost directional control of aircraft during landing roll.

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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