# NTSB WPR22LA371: Cessna 172M, N9670V, Pacific Ocean, CA, August 20, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 20, 2022, 23:36, time zone not recorded - Place: Pacific Ocean, CA · open water Pacific Ocean - Coordinates: 38.311101, -125.55451 (estimated) - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Missing aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: N/A - NTSB case key (mKey): 106232 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA371 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106232/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106232 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA371 ## Probable cause Undetermined because the airplane and pilot were not located. ## 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 172M, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072418), [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. - [Unknown: Missing aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990/sequence.md) ## Analysis Concerned parties reported the pilot missing after not returning from a flight. Multiple agencies conducted a search for the missing pilot and airplane, however, neither the pilot, airplane, nor wreckage debris was located. Radar data believed to represent the missing airplane showed a westerly track over the Pacific Ocean. The last known radar position was about 140 miles west of the Pacific shoreline. ## Factual narrative On August 20, 2022, about 2100 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172, N9670V, departed Watts-Woodland Airport (O41), Woodland, California, en route to an unknown destination. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The airplane was not located and is presumed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean. On August 21, 2022, about 0750, family members reported the missing pilot and airplane to local law enforcement. Law enforcement responded to O41 and found the missing pilot’s vehicle parked next to the airplane’s wheel chocks. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice (ALNOT) about 1730. Law enforcement contacted California Office of Emergency Services Region 5, requesting assistance with the search. About 1644, the United States Air Force contacted law enforcement, advising the cell and radar team had tracked an airplane they believed to be N9670V. About 1845 the Air Force relayed that the United States Coast Guard was conducting searches where the last radar target was observed. The ALNOT was cancelled on August 22, 2022. According to uncorrelated radar data, at 2108, the United States Air Force tracked a radar target approximately 8 miles south of O41 on a westerly heading. The flight path of the presumed missing airplane continued approximately 144 miles from the California coastline over the Pacific Ocean. The last known location of the radar target at 2336 was 38 degrees 31.11 minutes north latitude and 125 degrees 55.45 minutes west longitude. The pilot’s girlfriend and son reported that the missing pilot had been depressed. About 1800 on the day he went missing, the girlfriend and the pilot had a disagreement. The pilot phoned her at 1940 and said he was upset with life, and he was not coming back. The girlfriend reported to law enforcement that during the call it sounded like the pilot was in his airplane. She received a text message about 2147 from the pilot stating “270 to infinity. I love you!” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9670V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9670V), registered now, S/N 17264450, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17264450 - Year built: 1974 - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: O41, Woodland, CA - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: fatal; private, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, unknown ## Weather - Conditions: Night - Wind: 190° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: KSMF, 13 nm away - METAR: METAR KSMF 210453Z 19007KT 10SM CLR 26/12 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP067 T02610122= ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 15, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106232. 805 KB in all. - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview shane nichol's (son of pilot) (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14827564&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20Mr.%20Nichols-Rel.pdf - Radar tracking - us airforce (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 466 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15198334&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Presumed%20Radar%20Track-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� yolo county police report (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15544532&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Yolo%20County%20Police%20Report-Rel.pdf - Reports from federal agencies - alnot (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 218 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15352258&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=emailFAAROCN9670V%20_Redacted-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.