- Date
- August 24, 1997, 18:37 local (Aug 25, 1997, 01:37 UTC)
- Place
- Kenwood, CA
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N733QDCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970825023499A
- Case key
- 29884
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 improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing, due to an inadequate supply of fuel.
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
The pilot and passengers departed on a 2-day cross-country flight. There was 29.4 gallons of fuel purchased en route going and 15.0 gallons returning. About 15 miles from the final destination, a force landing was made. According to sheriff's personnel, the aircraft ran out of fuel.
Factual narrative
On August 24, 1997, about 1837 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N733QD, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Kenwood, California. The pilot and three passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed.
The flight originated August 23, 1997, as a personal cross-country flight from Santa Rosa, California, to Fallbrook, California, with a fuel stop at San Luis Obispo, California. The pilot was flying the same route of flight back to Santa Rosa the next day. According to sheriff's personnel, the aircraft ran out of fuel.
According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office at Oakland, the pilot purchased 29.4 gallons of fuel en route to the destination and 15.0 gallons returning.
The pilot failed to respond to a Safety Board request to file a form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Accident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733QD
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268458
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Virginia K. Moncada
- Registered owner
- Hayssen, Arthur H.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Destination
- STS · Santa Rosa, 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
- 18
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 18 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KST, 15 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.