# Accident 20090612010649A: Cessna 175A, Polacca, AZ, June 12, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 12, 2009, 08:00 local time
- Place: Polacca, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7969° N, 110.4628° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7969&lon=-110.4628&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7979T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7979T) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 175A (registry code 2072504, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental GO-300 series (registry code 17024, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 175A
- Reported engine: CONT GO300*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 457 total, 48 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09CA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA285) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090612010649A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JUNE 12, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 06:05MST THE PILOT PERFORMED AN UNEVENTFUL EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON ARIZONA STATE ROUTE 264 NEAR POLACCA, AZ DUE TO LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE.  SUBSEQUENTLY THE PILOT SERVICED THE ENGINE WITH AUTOMOTIVE OIL AND TOOK A T-SHIRT, "ROLLED IT UP AND STUCK IT IN THE FILLER TUBE A GOOD FOUR (4) INCHES, THEN FOLDED IT AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE TUBE AND WRAPPED SAFETY WIRE AROUND IT.  THEN HE TOOK PIECES OF DUCT TAPE WRAPPED IT AROUND THE TUBE GOING ALL DIRECTIONS".  THE PILOT THEN CONVINCED THE POLICE OFFICERS ON SCENE THAT IF THEY WOULD BLOCK THE TRAFFIC ON ARIZONA STATE ROUTE 264 THAT HE WOULD TAKEOFF FROM THE HIGHWAY.  THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM ARIZONA STATE ROUTE 264 WHERE THE RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED A ROAD SIGN SHEARING OFF APPROXIMATELLY 3 FEET OF THE RIGHT WING.  THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE TOP OF A POLICE CAR WHICH SHEARED OFF SOME ANTENNAS OF THE POLICE CAR BEFORE FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT OVER AS IT DEPARTED THE ROADWAY DOWN AN EMBANKMENT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.  THE DISTANCE FROM THE START OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL TO THE IMPACT POINT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET.

## 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 WPR09CA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA285), Jun 12, 2009: Cessna 175A (N7979T), Polacca, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to adequately estimate the required distance to avoid obstructions while taking off from a road.

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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