# Accident 20130615012969A: Cessna 175, Needles, CA, June 15, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2013, 18:00 local time
- Place: Needles, CA
- Airport: N/A
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7801° N, 114.5900° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7801&lon=-114.5900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9370B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9370B-2014-12-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 175 (registry code 2072502, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental GO-300 series (registry code 17024, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 175
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR GO-300 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 4
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA272](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA272) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130615012969A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM TEHACHAPE, CALIFORNIA FOR A DAY VFR FLIGHT TO PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA.  WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, AT A LOCATION APPROXIMATELY NINETEEN MILES SOTHWEST OF BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT RUNNING.

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON A MESA, LOCATED WITHIN A BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT(BLM) WILDERNESS AREA,  APPROXIMATELY SEVENTEEN MILES SOUTHWEST OF BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA.  DURING THE PROCESS OF LANDING ON THE UNIMPROVED SURFACE, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE IMPACTED THE RIM OF THE MESA AND SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE.

THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE TRANSPORTED FROM THE CRASH SITE BY MEDICAL HELICOPTERS, DUE TO THE REMOTE NATURE OF THE SITE.  THE PILOT AND ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WERE ADMITTED TO NEARBY HOSPITALS WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.  ONE PASSENGER WAS TREATED AND RELEASED WITH SERIOUS INJURIES AND ONE PASSENGER WAS TREATED AND RELEASED, WITH MINOR INJURIES.

SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY USABLE FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THOUGH PILOT CLAIMED TO HAVE DRAINED OUT ALL FUEL AFTER THE CRASH TO PREVENT POST CRASH FIRE.  NO OTHER PRE-CRASH DAMAGE FOUND.

## 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 WPR13LA272](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA272), Jun 16, 2013: Cessna 175 (N9370B), Needles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate fuel planning. Contributing to the severity of the front passenger’s injuries was the pilot’s decision to depart…

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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