- Date
- June 4, 1994, 15:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Valencia, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N734ZKCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940604013899A
- Case key
- 28759
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
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable field for an off-airport landing and attempted takeoff.
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
In a statement to responding county sheriff's deputies, the pilot said that while returning to the airport he experienced a compelling physiological need and landed the aircraft in an open dirt field. During the takeoff ground roll, the aircraft encountered soft soil and nosed over. In his written statement to the Safety Board, the pilot reported that during the takeoff ground roll just prior to rotation, the engine started to run rough. The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff and could not stop prior to encountering a plowed area of the field. The engine was removed from the aircraft and taken to an engine repair facility. The engine was installed in a test cell, where it started on the first attempt and ran smoothly throughout all normal power ranges.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 1994, at 1520 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N734ZK, nosed over after encountering soft soil during a takeoff attempt from a field near Valencia, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by Konski Air of Van Nuys, California, and was rented by the pilot for a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and the one passenger on board sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from the Van Nuys airport on the day of the accident at 1400 as a local area flight.
In a statement to responding Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, the pilot said that while returning to the Van Nuys airport he experienced a compelling physiological need and landed the aircraft in an open dirt field. During the takeoff ground roll, the aircraft encountered soft soil and nosed over.
In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that during the takeoff ground roll just prior to rotation, the engine started to run rough. The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff and could not stop prior to encountering a plowed area of the field.
The engine was removed from the aircraft and taken to an engine repair facility in Long Beach, California. The engine was installed in a test cell, where it started on the first attempt and ran smoothly throughout all normal power ranges.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N734ZK
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 69243
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Konski, Yehiam, doing business as Konski Air
- Registered owner
- Konski, Yehiam
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 129 total · 29 in this make and model · 64 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY, 8 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.
Other investigations on N734ZK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.