- Date
- May 31, 1991, 19:52 local (Jun 1, 1991, 02:52 UTC)
- Place
- Point Magu, CA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9663BCessna 172RG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 7, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910531018809A
- Case key
- 27223
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 short circuit in the airplane's strobe light electrical system which ignited the plastic tubing of the pitot static system causing an inflight fire and subsequent forced landing.
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
A Cessna 172RG caught fire in flight at about 5,000 feet MSL. The pilot accomplished an emergency landing. Smoke and fumes were noted being emitted in the vicinity of the right front seat rudder pedals while in flight. Shortly thereafter eighteen inch flames erupted from the area of the rudder pedals. The pilot diverted to the closest airport and accomplished an emergency landing. Examination of the airplane revealed the plastic tubing of the pitot static had ignited. The source of the ignition was attributed to the electrical wiring of the airplane strobe light system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9663B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0954
- Airframe hours
- 2,459
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- California Wings, Inc
- Registered owner
- Kaldal, Gudrum M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 22, 1991 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- NTD · Point Magu Nas, runway 3, 11,000 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 133 total · 2 in this make and model · 63 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- NTD, 1 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.