# NTSB DEN01LA129: Cessna 172N, N181SP, Farmington, NM, July 27, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 26, 2001, 19:30 local (Jul 27, 2001, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Farmington, NM - Coordinates: 36.749027, -108.179557 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7490&lon=-108.1796&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 1, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 52843 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA129 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52843/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA129 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the powerline while descending for an emergency landing. A contributing factor was the loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - terrain condition - roadway/highway ## Analysis The airplane was flying 500 feet above the ground when the engine began to "stutter." As the pilot banked right towards a nearby road, he felt a "hard jerk" and heard a "screeching noise." His passenger told him they had struck a power line. The engine regained power, and the pilot decided to proceed to a nearby airport. The airplane was now 100 feet above the ground, and the pilot realized it would not climb. He attempted to make a forced landing but struck trees short of the road on which he intended to land. The airplane then hit the road, skidded, and struck another tree. The impact spun the airplane around, and it came to a halt. About 3.5 gallons of fuel were in the left wing tank and 15.0 gallons were in the right tank. ## Factual narrative On July 26, 2001, approximately 1930 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N181SP, operated by SB Aviation Group, Inc., doing business as Seven Bar Four Corners, was destroyed when it struck power lines during cruise flight near Farmington, New Mexico. The private pilot and his passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under Title 49 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Farmington, New Mexico, at approximately 1900. According to the pilot's accident report, he was flying 500 feet above the ground when the engine began to "stutter." Being familiar with the area, he flew west towards the Arkansas Loop, an oil field road. As he banked right towards the road, he called the Farmington control tower but got no response. He checked the carburetor heat, mixture, and fuel selector for proper positions. As the airplane continued the bank, he felt a "hard jerk" and heard a "screeching noise." His passenger told him they had struck a power line. The engine regained power, and the pilot, again, tried contacting the Farmington control tower to no avail. After inspecting the airplane damage, he decided to proceed to the Aztec Airport. The airplane was now 100 feet above the ground and he realized it would not climb. The pilot attempted to make a forced landing, but struck trees short of the road on which he intended to land. The airplane then struck the road, skidded, and struck another tree. The impact spun the airplane around and it came to a halt. Both wings and the empennage were extensively damaged. According to an FAA inspector who examined the wreckage, there were 3.5 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank and 15.0 gallons in the right tank. The fuel selector was positioned on the left tank (the pilot told the inspector he had switched to the left tank after striking the power line because he was concerned he would leak fuel from the damaged right wing tank). There were no obstructions of the vented fuel tank caps. Fuel system integrity had not been compromised. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N181SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N181SP-2017-05-15), registration cancelled 2017-05-15, S/N 17268171, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268171 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: SB Aviation Group, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Departed: FMN, Farmington, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review March 11, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 78 total, 74 in this make and model, 61 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: FMN ## 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 20010726020539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010726020539A), Jul 26, 2001: Cessna 172N, Farmington, NM, Destroyed. (-23) On July 26, 2001, at approximately 1815 MDT, N181SP, a Cessna 172 departed Farmington municipal airport on local flight. This was the second flihgt of… 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.