# NTSB LAX95LA193: Cessna 172F, N5255F, Boonville, CA, May 26, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 25, 1995, 18:54 local (May 26, 1995, 01:54 UTC) - Place: Boonville, CA - Coordinates: 38.989379, -123.35968 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9894&lon=-123.3597&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29100 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA193 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29100/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA193 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, go-around (vfr) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - soft - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload ## Analysis THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS FOGGED IN WHEN THE FLIGHT ARRIVED AND HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO FIND AN AIRPORT THAT WAS OPEN. AFTER ARRIVING OVER THE AIRPORT AT BOONVILLE, THE PILOT MADE A LOW FLYBY OF THE RUNWAY TO CHECK IT OVER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLYING CLUB RULES REGARDING LANDINGS AT STRANGE AIRPORTS. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO GO AROUND AND ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AGAIN FOR LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT ACHIEVED ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE SOFT GROUND BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE WHEEL SHEARED OFF AFTER IT DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL. FOLLOWING RECOVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT, IT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR AND A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. THE INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. AFTER REPAIR OF IMPACT DAMAGE, THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY STARTED AND RUN USING THE AIRFRAME FUEL AND IGNITION SYSTEMS. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT AT THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY WERE NOTED TO BE 79 AND 42 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. ## Factual narrative On May 25, 1995, at 1854 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N5255F, collided with the ground during an attempted go-around from a field at Boonville, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the Beale AFB Flying Club and rented by the pilot for a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a military VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; however, the certificated airline transport pilot and the one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at Beale AFB at 1735 as a cross-country flight to Little River, California. In an oral statement, the pilot said that the destination airport was fogged in when the flight arrived and he was attempting to find an airport that was open. After arriving over the airport at Boonville, the pilot made a low flyby of the runway to check it over, in accordance with the flying club rules regarding landings at strange airports. The pilot added power to go around and enter the traffic pattern again for landing. As the aircraft achieved about 300 feet agl, the engine lost power and the aircraft contacted the soft ground beyond the end of the runway. The nose wheel sheared off after it dug into the soft soil. Following recovery of the aircraft, it was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector and a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic. The inspector reported that no preimpact discrepancies were found. After repair of impact damage, the engine was successfully started and run using the airframe fuel and ignition systems. The temperature and dew point at the closest weather reporting facility were noted to be 79 and 42 degrees respectively. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5255F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5255F-1997-12-13), registration cancelled 1997-12-13, S/N 17253361 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F - Registry model: [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (registry code 2072414) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17253361 - Airframe hours: 11519 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-300D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Beale Afb Aero Club, Usaf - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 9, 1995, 57 hours before - Departed: BAB, BEALE AFB, CA - Destination: O48, LITTLE RIVER, CA - Flight plan: Military VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,200 total, 450 in this make and model, 4,150 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 2 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: UKI, 22 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 19950525012999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950525012999A), May 25, 1995: Cessna 172F, Booneville, CA, Substantial damage. Destination fogged in. Diverted to airport. Made low pass. Engine quit on climbout. Sheared nose gear landing. 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.