# Accident 20131226025149A: Cessna 172K, Fresno, CA, December 26, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 26, 2013, 18:21 local time - Place: Fresno, CA - Airport: Fresno Chandler Executive - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.7342° N, 119.8267° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7342&lon=-119.8267&mi=10 - Aircraft: N251JM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N251JM-2014-02-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172K (registry code 2072430, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172K - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR14FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA078) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131226025149A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON DECEMBER 26, 2013, TIMOTHY L. FARMER (72 YEARS OLD) DEPARTED THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAIN VALLEY AIRPORT (L94) WITH ONE PASSENGER (8 YEARS OLD), IN A CESSNA 172K (N251JM), WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING AT THE FRESNO CHANDLER EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KFCH). MR. FARMER UTILIZED THE BAKERSFIELD AND FRESNO APPROACH CONTROL SERVICES FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM KFCH WAS TERMINATED FROM FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT WHICH POINT THE PILOT INFORMED FRESNO APPROACH THAT HE HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT. THE AIRPORT WAS REPORTING BETWEEN 4 AND 5 MILES OF VISIBILITY IN HAZE, NO CLOUDS, WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS, IN NIGHT CONDITIONS. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE MODE C TRANSPONDER TO DISPLAY ALTITUDE SO WE ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE AIRCRAFT?S ALTITUDE FROM THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TRACK OF THE AIRPLANE. THE FCH AIRPORT?S BEACON AND AIRPORT RUNWAY, THRESHOLD, PAPI, AND TAXI LIGHTS WERE ALL OPERATIONAL AT THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT APPROACHED THE CHANDLER AIRPORT FROM THE FRAME INTERSECTION (10 MILES SE OF FCH) AND PROCEEDED SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT TO ENTER A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 30. THE PILOT MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT THE PILOT MAY HAVE MADE A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 30 ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY BEFORE EXECUTING A GO-AROUND PROCEDURE, (AS WITNESSED BY A PILOT ON THE AIRPORT, AND AIRPORT SURVEILLENCE FOOTAGE). ON THE GO-AROUND PROCEDURE THE PILOT CLIMBED THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A LEFT NINETY DEGREE TURN, FOLLOWED BY A RIGHT TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY DEGREE TURN FOR RUNWAY 12. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABLE TO LAND ON THIS ATTEMPT BECAUSE OF EXCESS SPEED AND AGAIN EXECUTED A GO-AROUND, (AGAIN INFORMATION GAINED FROM A PILOT EYE WITNESS AND AIRPORT SURVEILLENCE FOOTAGE). THE PILOT AGAIN MADE A CLIMB FOLLOWED BY A LEFT NINETY DEGREE TURN THEN A RIGHT TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY DEGREE TURN TO FINAL ON RUNWAY 30. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED THE AIRCRAFT SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF CENTERLINE ON A LOW APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK ABOUT 8 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF A 63.7 FOOT TALL TREE APPROXIMATELY 1400 FEET EAST OF THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD AND 15 FEET RIGHT OF CENTERLINE. NUMEROUS TREE BRANCHES WERE FOUND IN THE YARD BENEATH THE TREE AND NEIGHBORING ROAD IN A TRAJECTORY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. THE TREE BRANCHES RANGED IN DIAMETER FROM FRACTIONS OF AN INCH UP TO TWO INCHES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, BUT THE LEFT WING TIP, PORTIONS OF THE LEFT WING?S LANDING LIGHT, AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF PAINT FLAKES (FOUND WITH THE TREE BRANCHES) SUGGEST SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WING. THE PILOT, BASED ON WITNESS TESTIMONY FROM THE RESIDENT OF THE HOME WHERE THE TREE WAS STRUCK, APPLIED POWER AFTER STRIKING THE TREE AND ATTEMPTED A THIRD GO-AROUND. ON THE UPWIND CLIMB, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND WENT INTO A LEFT TURNING SPIRAL (SURVEILLENCE FOOTAGE). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE LOW DESCENT KILLING BOTH OCCUPANTS ON IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND PRODUCING POWER ACCORDING TO WITNESS TESTIMONY AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. A POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED MUCH OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE AND A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING. ## 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 WPR14FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA078), Dec 27, 2013: Cessna 172K (N251JM), Fresno, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees while on approach, which subsequently led to a loss of airplane control. Also causal was the pilot’s continued operation of the airplane… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.