# Accident 20090916019439A: Cessna 140, Santa Paula, CA, September 16, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 16, 2009, 14:50 local time
- Place: Santa Paula, CA
- Airport: Santa Paula
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.3467° N, 119.0575° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3467&lon=-119.0575&mi=10
- Aircraft: N326DW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 140
- Reported engine: CONT O200A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,936 total, 438 in this make and model, 62 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA452](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA452) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090916019439A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2009 THE PILOT OF N326DW WAS PERFORMING A SERIES OF FULL STOP LANDINGS AT THE SANTA PAULA AIRPORT (SZP).  RUNWAY 22 WAS IN USE.  AFTER THE THIRD FULL STOP LANDING ANOTHER TAKE-OFF WAS PERFORMED FROM RWY 22.  DURING THE CLIMB, THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FT MSL (250 FT AGL) AND A LH TURN TO CROSSWIND WAS PERFORMED.  DURNG THE TURN FROM CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER.  THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING STRAIGHT FORWARD INTO THE RIVER BED ADJACENT TO SZP.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TALL BRUSH PROR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON A SAND BAR.  THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.  SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT.  PRIOR TO EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR, MASTER SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH AND ELT.  THE PILOT EXITED THE CABIN AND MADE CONTACT VIA CELL PHONE TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS BACK FOR APPROX. 4 HOURS PRIOR TO BEING UP-RIGHTED.  FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  APPROXIMATELY 5 GALLONS WERE DRAINED FROM THE RH FUEL TANK AND JUST A SMALL DRIBBLE OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE LH FUEL TANK.  THERE WAS ONLY RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR.

## 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 WPR09LA452](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA452), Sep 16, 2009: Cessna 140 (N326DW), Santa Paula, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons.

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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