# Accident 20170907021909A: Cessna 172N, Bolinas Ca, CA, September 7, 2017 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 7, 2017, 14:15 local time - Place: Bolinas Ca, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.9369° N, 122.7264° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9369&lon=-122.7264&mi=10 - Aircraft: N737QQ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N737QQ-2018-08-10) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA196) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170907021909A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT), CESSNA 172N, N737QQ IMPACTED TREES NEAR POINT REYES BIRD OBSERVATORY, BOLINAS, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A DENSELY FORESTED AREA BY OFFICERS OF THE POINT REYES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2017. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED, WITH THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RENTED FROM SUN WEST AVIATION, SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA. AT ABOUT 1130 (PDT) WITH VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILING THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SANTA YNEZ AIRPORT (IZA) WITH A VFR FLIGHT PLAN DESTINED FOR CHARLES M. SCHULZ ? SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT (STS), SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA. WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 6500?, THE PILOT DISCONTINUED FLIGHT FOLLOWING, DESCENDED TO 1500 FEET AND USED VISUAL REFERENCES TO FOLLOW THE SHORELINE UP THE COAST. THE LAST CONFIRMED RADAR POSITION SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE ON A NORTH WESTERLY HEADING (323) AT 1300? AND 113KTS. THE DEBRIS FIELD AND TREE SCARS FOUND AT 800? SHOW THE HEADING OF THE AIRCRAFT IN A NORTH-NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION (025) WITH RISING TERRAIN CRESTING AT 1200-1400?. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT A FOG LAYER WAS PRESENT OVER THE POINT REYES NATIONAL PARK, THAT ENCOMPASSED THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A DENSELY FORESTED AREA BY OFFICERS OF THE POINT REYES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2017. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE OR POST IMPACT FIRE. THE 150? LONG DEBRIS FIELD SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NORTH-NORTH EASTERLY HEADING (APPROX. 025) THE FIRST IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT/IMPACT (FIPC) WAS A SEVERED TREE TOP OF A 60-FOOT DOUGLAS FIR TREE. APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET NORTH OF THE FIPC THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND WRAPPED AROUND A TREE 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WING ATTACH FITTINGS WERE SHEARED AT THE FUSELAGE. THE AILERON SEPARATED FROM THE WING AND WAS FOUND 20 FEET FURTHER NORTH SUPPORTED BY BRANCHES IN ANOTHER TREE. THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WAS LOCATED ON THE GROUND, 40 FEET FROM THE FIPC IN A NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION. THE MAJORITY OF THE FUSELAGE AND EMPENNAGE WERE FOUND 100 FEET NORTH-NORTH EAST OF THE FIPC AT THE BASE OF A TREE, INVERTED, WITH THE TAIL ORIENTED TO THE NORTH AND A PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING TUCKED UNDER THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS A LARGE SCAR 15 FEET FROM THE GROUND WITH STRUCTURAL EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT THE FUSELAGE HAD IMPACTED THE TREE SPUN 180 DEGREES AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND AT THE BASE OF THE TREE. CONTINUING ON A NORTH-NORTH-EASTERLY DIRECTION THE PILOT, ENTRY DOOR AND COCKPIT ROOF STRUCTURE WITH 6 FEET OF RIGHT WING WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND 20 FEET NORTH OF THE MAIN FUSELAGE WITH THE RUDDER PEDALS AND CONTROL COLUMNS HANGING IN THE TREE ABOVE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ENGINE SEPARATED FROM STRUCTURE AND CAME TO REST 150? FROM THE FIPC IN THE SAME NORTH-NORTH-EASTERLY DIRECTION. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER BLADES SHOW EVIDENCE OF A HIGH TORQUE SEPARATION FROM THE ENGINE, STOPPING 30 FEET DOWNHILL AND CONFIRMING ENGINE MAKING POWER AT SEPARATION. . ## 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 WPR17FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA196), Sep 7, 2017: Cessna 172N (N737QQ), Bolinas, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument rated private pilot's improper decision to embark on a flight and continue to fly into forecasted instrument meteorological conditions and mountain obscuration while conducting a… 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.