# Accident 20230429006179A: Cessna 172S, Los Angeles, CA, April 29, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 29, 2023, 19:55 local time
- Place: Los Angeles, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1286° N, 118.4429° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1286&lon=-118.4429&mi=10
- Aircraft: N575ND, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N575ND) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 82 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA172) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230429006179A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED THE BERMUDA DUNES AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 01:48 UTC ON A VFR FLIGHT TO THE VAN NUYS AIRPORT.  THE MANAGER OF THE BERMUDA DUNES AIRPORT CONFIRMED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WAS SERVICED WITH 20 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL THAT AFTERNOON.  THE OWNER OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A CFI, STATED THE 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ADDED TO ANY FUEL ALREADY ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE FLIGHT.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE ADS-B DATA FOR THE FLIGHT INDICATES THAT AT A POINT APPROXIMATELY TWO NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CRASH SITE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TURNED FROM A WESTERLY HEADING TO THE NORTHWEST TOWARDS THE INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE 405 AND 101 AS INITIALLY INSTRUCTED BY ATC.  THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT HEADING AND A RELATIVELY NORMAL RATE OF DECENT AND AIRSPEED OVER THE NEXT TWO MILES TO A POINT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN.  WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS NOR DO WE BELIEVE THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPECIAL DISORIENTATION.

THE NTSB IIC STATED HE DISCOVERED FUEL IN THE WINGS OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETED THAT DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.

THE ACCIDENT APPEARS TO BE A CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN (CFIT) ACIDENT WHICH, THE FAA DEFINES AS AN UNINTENTIONAL COLLISION WITH TERRAIN (THE GROUND, A MOUNTAIN, A BODY OF WATER, OR AN OBSTACLE) WHILE AN AIRCRAFT IS UNDER POSITIVE CONTROL.  WE SUSPECT THIS WAS DUE TO THE PLOT’S LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED FOG IN THE AREA HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WAS SURFACE FOG, A FOG LAYER OR WHETHER THE FOG OBSCURED THE TERRAIN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ COLLIDED WITH.

## 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 WPR23FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA172), Apr 30, 2023: Cessna 172S (N575ND), Los Angeles, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with the hilly terrain resulting from his loss of situational awareness due to the deteriorating weather conditions as he descended to approach his…

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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