# NTSB LAX04CA098: Cessna 172P, N5364K, Granada Hills, CA, January 20, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 20, 2004, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Granada Hills, CA - Coordinates: 34.25, -118.5 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2500&lon=-118.5000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58645 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04CA098 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58645/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA098 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power due to an inadequate fuel supply. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, descent - normal - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - terrain condition - roadway/highway - object - fence ## Analysis The airplane collided with a fence during an off airport landing on a road, following a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he did not refuel the airplane fully prior to departure, and he bypassed a planned refueling stop while en route. The pilot descended from 7,500 feet, and the engine lost power. The fuel gauges in the cockpit indicated the left fuel tank had a little less than a 1/2 tank and the right had about 1/4 tank. He decided to go through a hole in the cloud layer in an effort to get below the cloud base. He made an emergency landing on a utility road. He thought that the accident was the result of fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On January 20, 2004, about 1300 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172P, N5364K, made an off airport landing on a road near Granada Hills, California, following a total loss of engine power. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Royal Aviation under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oakland, California, about 1030, with a planned destination of John Wayne-Orange County Airport (SNA), Santa Ana, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that before departing OAK, he filled the tanks with about 26 gallons of fuel. Although the tanks were not full, he estimated that he had about 3.5 to 4 hours of useable fuel. He was thinking of stopping at Harris Ranch Airport (3O8), Coalinga, California, to refuel, but while en route, decided the weather was too bad to land there. While descending from 7,500 feet, about 4 miles from Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California, the engine lost power. The fuel gauges in the cockpit indicated the left fuel tank had a little less than a ½ tank and the right had about ¼ tank. The pilot decided to go through a hole in the cloud layer in an effort to get below the cloud base. The engine momentarily started and he climbed back up to the cloud base. After the engine lost power again, despite his efforts to restart it, he realized that he would not be able to make it to VNY and began to look for an adequate place to make a forced landing. With the help of a pilot who was familiar with the area, he decided to land on an asphalt utility road. During the emergency landing, the bottom of the left wing made contact with a fence on the side of the road. The pilot applied heavy brake pressure and the airplane swerved, resulting in the right rear stabilizer impacting steel containers at the end of the road. The pilot thought that the accident was the result of fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) for VNY, reported that the sky condition was overcast at 3,900 feet at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5364K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5364K), registered now, S/N 17274082, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274082 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Departed: OAK, Oakland, CA - Destination: SNA, Santa Ana, CA - Airport: KVNY, Van Nuys Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 1,400 total, 1,280 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20040120000829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040120000829A), Jan 20, 2004: Cessna 172P, Granada Hills, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On 01/20/2004 dennis g. midden flew CE-172-P from oakland, CA, (oak) with a destination of john wayne airport (sna). Before departing oak Mr. Midden… ## Other investigations on N5364K (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 LAX90LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA045), Dec 4, 1989: Cessna 172 (N5364K), Van Nuys, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE P-51 PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE STANDING C-172. 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.