# NTSB WPR19LA202: Cessna 172, N3863L, Port Townsend, WA, July 21, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 21, 2019, 16:20 local (23:20 UTC) - Place: Port Townsend, WA - Coordinates: 48.051666, -122.801391 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.0517&lon=-122.8014&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99928 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA202 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99928/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99928 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA202 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Cessna 172G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072420), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the approach for landing, the engine lost power, and the pilot completed a forced landing short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane wreckage was sold before an examination could take place, so whether a mechanical anomaly or malfunction contributed to the accident could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 21, 2019, about 1620 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N3863L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Port Townsend, Washington. The private pilot was not injured. The two passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, on the morning of the accident flight, 18 gallons of avgas was added before departing Olympia Regional Airport (OLM), Olympia, Washington, destined for Friday Harbor Airport (FHR), Friday Harbor, Washington. The pilot reported he departed with a total of 27 gallons of fuel on board. He stated that during the northbound flight, they used 0S9 as a waypoint. On the return southbound flight, the pilot planned to use 0S9 as a waypoint but decided to land at 0S9 to use the facilities and to add fuel to the airplane. While preparing the airplane for landing, the pilot flew directly over the runway from the north at 2,000 ft mean sea level (msl) with the intention of landing on runway 27. The pilot reduced engine power to begin the descent and added carburetor heat. He then circled left for a 45° entry into the downwind leg for runway 27. After he was abeam the approach end of the runway, the pilot decreased power to 1,500 rpm, deployed flaps to 10º and trimmed for 500 ft per minute descent. The engine power continued to decrease below 1,300 rpm with no abnormal noise, and, when the pilot advanced throttle, the engine suddenly quit. While preparing the airplane for the forced landing, the pilot stated that he positioned the fuel selector valve from the BOTH position to the RIGHT position, since the right tank had the most fuel indicated. He continued the forced landing to runway 27 and impacted terrain short of the approach end. The airplane came to rest nose-down, against an embankment with substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, and engine and cowling area. First responders stated that fuel was observed leaking from the wings while they were onsite. During the recovery of the wreckage, it was noted that the right main tank and the right auxiliary tip tank were empty. The left main tank had about 32 ounces of fuel and the left auxiliary tip tank had about 8 gallons of fuel recovered. The wreckage was recovered to a secured facility but was sold before the airframe or engine could be examined by an FAA inspector or the NTSB investigator-in-charge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3863L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3863L-2020-09-04), registration cancelled 2020-09-04, S/N 17254032, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (G) - 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: 17254032 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 2062 - Engines: Continental O-300 SER 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Clark Byron G - Registered owner: Clark Byron G - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 19, 2019 - Departed: FHR, Friday Harbor, WA - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 0S9, Jefferson County Intl, runway 27, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 552 total, 484 in this make and model, 552 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F - Observed at: 0S9, 10 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 20190721024329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190721024329A), Jul 21, 2019: Cessna 172G, Port Townsend, WA, Substantial damage. On July 21, 2019 at approximately 1620 PST, aircraft Cessna 172 N3863L was on approach to Port Townsend, WA airport (0S9). At this time the pilot reported that… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99928. 6.7 MB in all. - Pilot-statement (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 381 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13237129&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-safety in motion flight center (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13237321&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Safety%20In%20Motion%20Flight%20Center_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-old republic insurance group (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13385699&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Old%20Republic%20Insurance_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Email-wentworth aircraft inc (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 89 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13865632&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email-Wentworth%20Aircraft%20Inc_Redacted-Rel-Rel.pdf - Photo array-first responders (item 5, PDF, 8 pages, 5.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13235323&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-First%20Responders-Rel.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.