# NTSB WPR13CA163: Cessna 172G, N5931R, Temecula, CA, March 22, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 22, 2013, 14:10 local (21:10 UTC) - Place: Temecula, CA - Coordinates: 33.574165, -117.128608 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5742&lon=-117.1286&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86503 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13CA163 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86503/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86503 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA163 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, the airplane lost engine power as it approached the destination airport. The pilot attempted to restart the engine unsuccessfully and performed a forced landing to a nearby street. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a chain link fence and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall, undercarriage, and the tail. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tanks remained intact and were not breached and that both tanks contained a total of 1.5 gallons of fuel. The pilot operating handbook identifies 3.0 gallons as unusable. There was no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, the airplane lost engine power as he approached the destination airport. The pilot attempted to restart the engine unsuccessfully and performed a forced landing to a nearby street. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a chain link fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall, undercarriage, and the tail. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tanks remained intact and were not breached, and that both tanks contained a total of 1.5 gallons of fuel. The Cessna pilot operating handbook identifies 3.0 gallons as unusable. There was no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5931R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5931R-2015-05-21), registration cancelled 2015-05-21, S/N 17253600, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G - Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17253600 - Airframe hours: 6461 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-300 SER 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Buehman John R - Registered owner: Buehman John R - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 14, 2013, 0 hours before - Departed: L18, Fallbrook, CA - Destination: F70, Murrieta, CA - Airport: F70, French Valley Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 27, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 658 total, 545 in this make and model, 607 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: NFG, 20 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 20130322007259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130322007259A), Mar 22, 2013: Cessna 172G, Temecula, CA, Destroyed. Aircraft landed off airport on country road, hit curb, fence and fliped upside down aircraft was destroyed. Fuel in tanks was one and a half gallons in left… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86503. 891 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 707 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391517&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement Regarding Fuel Recovered Post Accident (item 2, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391518&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20Regarding%20Fuel%20Recovered%20Post%20Accident-Redacted.PDF 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.