# NTSB LAX02LA107: Cessna 177B, N11487, Santa Clarita, CA, March 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 14, 2002, 19:23 local (Mar 15, 2002, 03:23 UTC) - Place: Santa Clarita, CA - Coordinates: 34.250629, -118.410751 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2506&lon=-118.4108&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-VNY-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54340 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA107 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54340/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54340 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA107 ## Probable cause The pilot performed inadequate planning and inaccurate fuel computations, and intiated flight without refueling. This resulted in a forced landing on a road at night due to fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - night - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - pole - object - fence ## Analysis The pilot made an off airport landing on a highway at night following a total loss of engine power. He had flown the airplane the day before for about 2 hours, and had visually verified full fuel before that flight. He estimated that he had over 2 hours of fuel remaining in the tanks. He experienced no difficulties with the airplane or engine during the first leg of his flight, which lasted about 30 minutes. During the return flight, he had the fuel selector valve on the "BOTH" position. He began his descent from cruise altitude of 6,000 feet. The engine began to sputter and lose power, but continued to run for about 4 minutes. He tried operating of the left and right tanks individually, but the engine remained at reduced power. He alternated the magnetos between the left, right, and both positions. The engine did not respond and eventually quit. He declared an emergency on frequency 121.5; he circled and looked for a landing spot, but it was too dark. He thought Interstate 5 was too busy, so he elected to land on a side road. His wing collided with a light pole and the airplane veered into a fence. Both wings separated from the airplane and the fuselage ripped open. A deputy, who arrived on scene within 5 minutes of the accident, did not smell fuel, observe any puddles of fuel on the ground, or see any fuel stains on the pole. The left wing tank ruptured, but the right wing tank did not. The deputy did not observe any fuel in the right tank. ## Factual narrative On March 14, 2002, at 1923 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 177B, N11487, made an off airport landing on a highway near Santa Clarita, California, following a total loss of engine power. Skycombers, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed California City Municipal Airport, California City, California, about 1830, en route to Whiteman Field, Los Angeles, California. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot. The pilot said he had flown the airplane the day before for about 2 hours, and had visually verified full fuel before that flight. He estimated that he had over 2 hours of fuel remaining in the tanks. He departed Whiteman about 1430, and arrived in California City about 1500. He experienced no difficulties with the airplane or engine during the flight.h During the return flight to Whiteman, the pilot had the fuel selector valve on the "BOTH" position. He began his descent to Whiteman from his cruise altitude of 6,000 feet. The engine began to sputter and lose power, but continued to run for about 4 minutes. He tried operating from the left and right tanks individually, but the engine remained at reduced power. He alternated the magnetos between the left, right, and both positions. The engine did not respond and eventually quit. He declared an emergency on frequency 121.5; he circled and looked for a landing spot, but it was too dark. He thought Interstate 5 was too busy, so he elected to land on a side road. His wing collided with a light pole and the airplane veered into a fence. Both wings separated from the airplane and the fuselage ripped open. A deputy, who arrived on scene within 5 minutes of the accident, did not smell fuel, observe any puddles of fuel on the ground, or see any fuel stains on the pole. The left wing tank ruptured, but the right wing tank did not. The deputy did not observe any fuel in the right tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N11487](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11487-2005-06-08), registration cancelled 2005-06-08, S/N 17702341, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 177B - Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17702341 - Airframe hours: 5444 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Skycomber, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 26, 2001, 73 hours before - Departed: L71, CALIFORNIA CITY, CA - Destination: WHP, LOS ANGELES, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 13, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 120 total, 42 in this make and model, 69 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 300° at 10 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: WHP, 12 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020314003449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020314003449A), Mar 14, 2002: Cessna 177B, Santaclarita, CA, No damage. (.19) On March 14, 2002, at 1923 pacific standard time, a Cessna 177B, N11487, made an off airport landing on a highway near santa clarita, California,… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54340. 355 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 355 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392683&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.