- Date
- August 17, 2001, 17:15 local (Aug 18, 2001, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Groveland, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7198TCessna 172-A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flt Standards Dist Office
- FAA report
- 20010817023349A
- Case key
- 53057
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
a loss of engine power due to water contamination forced the pilot to land in an unsuitable area resulting in collision with a tree.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot made an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power about 2 minutes after departure. The pilot preflighted the airplane, drained fuel, and completed an extensive run-up. He taxied to the fuel pumps and added over 18 gallons of fuel. He did another run-up and departed. About 75 feet agl the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot was unable to regain power so he attempted to land on a dirt road. The left wing contacted upsloping terrain; the right wing contacted trees and separated from the airplane. All engine controls and the carburetor air box were secure and functioning. The magnetos were timed to within 1 degree of each other, and the spark plugs were not discolored. All cylinders except cylinder No. 5 had compression greater than 70/80; cylinder No.5 was 25/80. Mechanics staked the valve, but the compression did not change. The gascolator contained 3 ounces of fuel. The carburetor contained a small amount of water; however, the fuel selector valve and main fuel line to the carburetor only contained fuel. The tank vents were clear.
Factual narrative
On August 17, 2001, about 1715 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172-A, N7198T, made an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power about 2 minutes after departure from Pine Mountain Lake Airport, Groveland, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal local flight, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot stated that he preflighted the airplane, drained fuel, and completed an extensive run-up. He taxied to the fuel pumps and added over 18 gallons of fuel. He did another run-up and departed. About 75 feet above ground level (agl) the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot was unable to regain power so he attempted to land on a dirt road. The left wing contacted up sloping terrain; the right wing contacted trees and separated from the airplane.
Air Yosemite in Colombia, California, inspected the airplane. Mechanics observed that all engine controls were secure and functioning. The carburetor air box was intact and functioning. The magnetos were timed to within 1 degree of each other. The mechanic did not recall any discoloration on the spark plugs that garnered his attention.
All cylinders except cylinder No. 5 had compression greater than 70/80; cylinder No.5 was 25/80. The mechanic stated he heard air leaking from the exhaust. He staked the valve, but the compression did not change.
Mechanics observed 3 ounces of fuel in the gascolator. The carburetor contained a small amount of water; however, the fuel selector valve and main fuel line to the carburetor contained only fuel. The tank vents were clear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7198T
- Reported as
- Cessna 172-A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46798
- Airframe hours
- 4,336
- Engine
- Continental O-300C, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John E. Clink
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2001 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- Q68 · Groveland, CA
- Destination
- Groveland, CA
- Airport
- Q68 · Pine Mountain Lake, runway 27, 3,625 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 15, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 17,000 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- MOD, 39 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.