# Accident 20090124003979A: Cessna 172S, Oceanside, CA, January 24, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 24, 2009, 10:45 local time
- Place: Oceanside, CA
- Airport: Oceanside Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2178° N, 117.3514° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2178&lon=-117.3514&mi=10
- Aircraft: N562AD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N562AD-2010-03-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 275 total, 140 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA098) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090124003979A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM EL CAJON, CA (KSEE) TO TORRANCE, CA (KTOA) WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT SIX THOUSAND FEET MSL, APPROXIMATELY SIX MILES SOUTHEAST OF OCEANSIDE, CA (KOCB). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT KOKB WHEN HE CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF MILE EAST OF KOKB.  THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED A TELEPHONE POLE.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES IN THE CRASH.  HIS PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.  BOTH WERE HOSPITALIZED.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THAT HE THOUGHT THE PLANE WAS LEAKING FUEL BECAUSE HE NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGES WERE MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD ZERO.  HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT TANK.  THE PLANE THEN LOST POWER.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THE RADIOS FAILED ALSO.  POST CRASH INSPECTION OF N562AD REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CAP WAS LOOSE, BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK FROM THE CAP.  THERE WAS 25 GAL. OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS.  THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE APPEARED TO BE IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION.  THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS UNDETERMINED.  THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL STARVATION.  THERE WAS A LOOSE SPLICE IN THE LEAD BETWEEN THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY.  THE NR 1 AVIONICS SWITCH WAS "OFF".

## 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 WPR09LA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA098), Jan 24, 2009: Cessna 172S (N562AD), Oceanside, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A defective alternator wire splice that resulted in an intermittent electrical system malfunction and erroneous fuel gauge readings, and, a loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.

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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