# Accident 20230920021089A: Cessna 172N, Compton, CA, September 20, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 20, 2023, 08:00 local time
- Place: Compton, CA
- Airport: Compton/Woodley
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8901° N, 118.2513° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8901&lon=-118.2513&mi=10
- Aircraft: N733ZN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N733ZN) (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: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA349) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230920021089A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2023, ABOUT 0830 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS

SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR COMPTON, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT

SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

PART 91 FLIGHT.

THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND THE PILOT PLANNED TO PERFORM A “RETURN TO

SERVICE” FLIGHT FOR THE OWNER, DEPARTING FROM COMPTON/WOODLEY AIRPORT (CPM). HE PERFORMED A

PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND VISUALLY CHECKED FUEL QUANTITY THROUGH THE FILLER CAP OPENINGS, AND VIA

THE FUEL GAUGES, AND OBSERVED BETWEEN 7 AND 10 GALLONS PER SIDE. HE NOTICED THAT THE LEFT MAIN,

AND NOSE TIRES WERE LOW, SO HE TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO THE FUEL ISLAND TO SERVICE THEM WITH AIR.

BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN SITTING OUTSIDE UNUSED, HE DECIDED TO PERFORM A LONG ENGINE

RUNUP AND A SERIES OF HIGH-SPEED TAXI RUNS AND TAKEOFF ROLLS.

THE RUNUP LASTED BETWEEN 15 TO 20 MINUTES, DURING WHICH HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS

RUNNING ROUGH ON THE RIGHT MAGNETO. HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE FULL FORWARD, AND LEANED THE MIXTURE

TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, AND AFTER ANOTHER ENGINE RUNUP THE ROUGHNESS HAD RESOLVED. HE THEN

BEGAN THE HIGH-SPEED TAKEOFF RUNS, AND WITH NORMAL INDICATIONS, HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH A

FLIGHT ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT.

AFTER REACHING ABOUT 50 TO 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY LOST POWER, FOLLOWED A SHORT TIME

LATER BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING DIRECTLY AHEAD, DURING WHICH

THE LEFT WING AND FORWARD FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER STRIKING A PARKED

VEHICLE. ARRIVED AT CPT ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2024, AND VISUALLY INSPECTED AIRCRAFT IN A HANGAR. A VISUAL INSPECTION VIA THE RIGHT-WING FILL CAP REVEALED NO FUEL. THE LEFT-WING TANK WAS BREACHED DURING THE FORCED LANDING, AND NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED. THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED WITH A CERTIFICATED A&P, FAA NOT AVAILABLE, AND OBSERVED MOSTLY WATER AT THE CARBURETOR FUEL STRAINER. UNABLE TO DETERMINE TOTAL FUEL AT TIME OF ACCIDENT DUE TO LEFT WING TANK BREACH.

## 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 WPR23LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA349), Sep 20, 2023: Cessna 172N (N733ZN), Compton, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power on takeoff due to water-contaminated fuel. Contributing to the accident was the inadequately maintained fuel system, which resulted in water entering the fuel tanks…

## Other reports on N733ZN (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19850817046259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850817046259I), Aug 17, 1985: Cessna 172N (N733ZN), Kutztown, PA, Minor damage. During sightseeing ride a turkey buzzard came through windshield. Injuries to front seat occupants. Safe landing.

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.