# NTSB CEN24LA003: Cessna 172, N397ES, Arlington, TX, October 2, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 2, 2023, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Arlington, TX - Coordinates: 32.71975, -97.05176 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7197&lon=-97.0518&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193177 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193177/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193177 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA003 ## Probable cause A reported loss of engine power during the landing approach due to undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with a fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed on a local flight around the area with a friend. After returning to the airport, he entered the traffic pattern and realized that he had inadvertently extended his downwind leg while explaining the before-landing checklist procedures to the passenger. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, he noticed that the airplane was lower than usual due to the extended downwind and added engine power. The engine did not respond, and he applied full throttle, but the engine still did not respond. After determining that he could not glide the airplane to the airport, the pilot performed a forced landing to a parking lot. After landing, the airplane collided with a fence, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot secured the engine and egressed the airplane with the passenger. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. To prepare the engine for a test run, a repair was performed to one of the engine mounts and a test club replaced the damaged propeller. A fuel can containing 100 low lead fuel was connected to the fuel system to simulate airframe-provided fuel. The firewall fuel strainer was damaged and would leak fuel freely, so the fuel container could not be routed through the header tank. A fuel line was connected directly from the fuel can to the electric fuel pump. The engine was primed and started. The engine parameters were normal, and the engine was able to provide rated horsepower. No anomalies were detected with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The engine logbook recorded that a mechanic replaced the engine fuel servo before the accident flight. However, the results of the engine run could not be used to determine if the fuel servo contributed to the reported loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 2023, about 1400 central daylight time, a Cessna 172R airplane, N397ES, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Arlington, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot departed from the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (GPM), Grand Prairie, Texas, with the intention of conducting a 30-minute flight around the local area with a friend. After returning to the airport, he entered the traffic pattern and realized that he had inadvertently extended his downwind leg while explaining the before-landing checklist procedures to the passenger. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, he noticed that the airplane was lower than usual due to the extended downwind and added engine power. The engine did not respond, and he applied full throttle, but the engine still did not respond. After determining that he could not glide the airplane to GPM, the pilot performed a forced landing to a parking lot. After landing, the airplane collided with a fence, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot secured the engine and egressed the airplane with the passenger. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. To prepare the engine for a test run, a repair was performed to one of the engine mounts and a test club replaced the damaged propeller. A fuel can containing 100 low lead fuel was connected to the fuel system to simulate airframe provided fuel. The firewall fuel strainer was damaged and would leak fuel freely, so the fuel container could not be routed through the header tank. A fuel line was connected directly from the fuel can to the electric fuel pump. The engine was primed and started. The engine parameters were normal, and the engine was able to provide rated horsepower. No anomalies were detected with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The engine logbook recorded that a mechanic replaced the engine fuel servo before the accident flight. However, the results of the engine run could not be used to determine if the fuel servo contributed to the reported loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N397ES](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N397ES), registered now, S/N 17280164, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (R) - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280164 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 5365.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aviator Air Operations LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 26, 2023, 14.3 hours before - Departed: KGPM, Grand Prairie, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 11, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 96.7 total, 26.8 in this make and model, 71 as pilot in command, 21.7 in the last 90 days, 4.4 in the last 30 days, 0.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KGPM, 1 nm away - METAR: KGPM 021857Z 17003KT 10SM SKC 32/15 A3005 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20231002022479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231002022479A), Oct 2, 2023: Cessna 172R, Grand Prairie, TX, Destroyed. The pilot in command (PIC) was flying takeoffs and landings at the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (gpm). The PIC had a friend as a passeneger who is not a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 2, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193177. 11.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 7.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17146720&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20cen23la246_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17147479&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=cen24la003%20photo-Rel.pdf - Engine run summary (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17147982&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20Run%20LA003-Rel.pdf - Engine log (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17147013&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N397ES%20Engine%20Logs_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.