# NTSB LAX02LA182: Cessna 172M, N61569, Mountain Ranch, CA, June 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 4, 2002, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Mountain Ranch, CA - Coordinates: 38.216667, -120.533332 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2167&lon=-120.5333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Lycoming, Cessna Aircraft - NTSB case key (mKey): 54859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA182 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54859/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54859 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA182 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and his in-flight planning/decision resulting in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The airplane lost engine power and collided with trees during a forced landing. The pilot planned the flight from Ramona, California, to the destination with an intermediate stop at Porterville. The total distance was 396 nm and the en route flight time was projected at 4 hours 6 minutes. The first leg to Porterville was uneventful and the pilot and passenger had lunch. No fuel was added to the tanks while at Porterville. The pilot said that during the second leg of the flight, about 1 hour 15 minutes after departure and while nearing the destination, the engine began to operate as though it was "starved for gasoline." The propeller continued to rotate; however, the engine failed to produce thrust. The pilot performed an emergency landing on a meadow and during the landing roll, the airplane impacted trees. Responding rescue personnel reported that there was no fire and no smell of fuel at the scene. An aircraft recovery service that retrieved the wreckage reported that no fuel was found in the aircraft at the accident site and that the vegetation surrounding the wreckage was not dead. An aircraft and engine examination, which included a detailed look at the fuel system components, revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failures. The aircraft was equipped with the standard range fuel tanks with a total useable capacity of 38 gallons. ## Factual narrative On June 4, 2002, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61569, lost engine power and collided with trees during a forced landing near Mountain Ranch, California. Cruiseair Aviation was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed Porterville Municipal Airport, Porterville, California, about 1345, with a planned destination of Placerville Airport, Placerville, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). It indicated that the flight originated from Ramona, California, about 1050. The pilot further reported that after departing Ramona, he obtained flight following from Southern California Terminal Radar Control (SOCAL TRACON). While en route, about 2 hours after departure, the airplane was in the vicinity of Porterville, and the pilot opted to land the airplane, rest, and have lunch. After a short stop, the flight departed Porterville and continued toward Placerville. About 1 hour 15 minutes after departure, which equated to about 35 nautical miles from Placerville, the engine began to operate as though it was "starved for gasoline." The propeller continued to rotate; however, the engine failed to produce thrust. The pilot selected carburetor heat, but the engine did not respond. The pilot configured the airplane and selected a small, upsloping meadow for an emergency landing. The airplane touched down on the meadow and continued the landing roll into high vegetation, eventually impacting several trees. After the accident, the pilot stated that the total operating time for the airplane over the course of the day was about 3 hours 15 minutes, including taxi time. Investigators recovered three flight plans from the airplane wreckage. The first flight plan indicated low altitude airway routing from Ramona to Porterville. The routing selected the very high omni-direction range (VOR) victor airway 187 from Oceanside VOR to Paradise VOR. The route continued via victor airway 197 to AMONT intersection, defined by Shafter and Gorman VOR radials, then victor airway 459 to Tule VOR and ending via a direct course to the Porterville airport. The flight plan calculated the flight time for the 215 mile flight at 2 hours 13 minutes and the fuel consumption at 14 gallons. The second flight plan continued from Porterville to EXTRA intersection (defined by Avenal and Clovis VOR radials) and victor airway 459 to FRIANT VOR, victor airway 332 to Hangtown VOR, and direct to Placerville airport. The flight plan calculated the flight time for the 181.1-mile flight at 1 hour 53 minutes and the fuel consumption at 12 gallons. The third flight plan represented the flight from Ramona to Placerville without an intermediate stop in Porterville. The route of flight was victor airway 186 to Paradise VOR, victor airway 197 to AMONT intersection, victor airway 459 to Friant VOR, victor airway 332 to Hangtown VOR, and then direct to Placerville airport. The flight plan calculated the flight time for the 388.8-mile flight at 4 hours 1 minute, and the fuel consumption at 24 gallons. Wind conditions were not taken into account in any of the flight plans. In a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, rescue personnel reported that they spoke to the passenger involved in the accident. The passenger stated that the flight departed from Ramona and made an intermediate stopover in Porterville. While the airplane was in cruise flight en route to Placerville the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot looked for a place to land and declared a MAYDAY over the radio, stating that the airplane had experienced a loss of engine power. During the emergency landing the airplane collided with trees. The pilot contacted emergency services with his cell phone and a California Highway Patrol helicopter located the wreckage. Both occupants suffered broken limbs and were transported to hospitals. Rescue personnel further reported there was no fire and no smell of fuel at the scene. An aircraft recovery service recovered and moved the airplane wreckage to Plain Parts, Pleasant Grove, California. At the request of the Safety Board, a Textron Lycoming engine manufacturer representative and Cessna Aircraft Company representative examined the wreckage under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration Sacramento Flight Standards District Office aviation safety inspector. The Cessna Aircraft Company representative interviewed the man who recovered the wreckage and reported that he found no fuel at the accident site. The Cessna Aircraft Company representative further stated that during the examination he found the right tank was crushed, but not breached, and the left tank was breached. He verified that the fuel selector was in the "both" position. He observed no evidence of residual fuel or fuel stains within the airframe fuel system; the gascolator did not contain any fuel or debris. He found no anomalies during the examination. He said that the airplane had standard range fuel tanks (42 gallons total, 38 gallons useable). Both wings had the proper placard placement. According to the Textron Lycoming representative, the engine did not display any evidence of pre impact catastrophic mechanical malfunction or failures. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61569](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61569-2003-10-25), registration cancelled 2003-10-25, S/N 17264647, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17264647 - Airframe hours: 7659 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Cruisair Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 2002, 95 hours before - Departed: PTV, Porterville, CA - Destination: PVF, Placerville, CA - Airport: PVF, Placerville Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 80; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 7, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 50 total, 6 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: MHR, 40 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 20020604023339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020604023339A), Jun 4, 2002: Cessna 172M, Mountainranch, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) This is a preliminary report. Amendments to follow. Aircraft departed san diego, CA. On 6/4/02. The aircraft reportedly made a stop at porterville CA.… ## Other investigations on N61569 (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 LAX94LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA277), Jul 7, 1994: Cessna 172 (N61569), Hanford, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT IN A TIMELY MANNER AFTER LANDING BACK ON THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2005, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54859. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 516 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442564&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Operator (item 2, .PDF, 532 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442562&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Operator-Redacted.PDF - Lycoming Report Excerpt (item 3, .PDF, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40216831&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Lycoming%20Report%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Cessna Excerpt (item 4, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40227596&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20Excerpt-Redacted.PDF - Flight Plans (item 5, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40224202&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Plans-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation: Responder (item 6, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40227595&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Responder-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 7, .PDF, 360 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40227598&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-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.