Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172N N733MQ

5 April 1991 · Stockton, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 5 April 1991 at about 03:40 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N733MQ, operated by West Valley Flying Club Inc., was involved in an accident near Stockton, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 03:40
Classification
Accident
Location
Stockton, California, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Cessna 172N
Registration
N733MQ
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
West Valley Flying Club Inc.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Palo Alto → Stockton
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
LAX91LA157

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

THE INSTALLATION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL OF AN INCORRECT GASKET THAT RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF THE ENGINE MAGNETO.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT/CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/INSTRUMENT STUDENT WERE IN A HOLDING PATTERN, IN VFR CONDITIONS, WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE CFI MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE MAGNETO ASSEMBLY FELL OFF THE ENGINE. AN IMPROPER GASKET WAS INSTALLED UNDER THE MAGNETO HOUSING THAT PREVENTED THE MAGNETO FROM BEING PROPERLY TIGHTENED TO THE REQUIRED TORQUE SETTING. GASKET MATERIAL UNDER THE NUT PROVIDED A CUSHION AFFECT THAT ALLOWED THE NUT TO VIBRATE LOOSE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Apr 1991 Cessna 172P
N9671A
College Park, Maryland, United States Civil Air Patrol, Inc. No injuries -
25 Apr 1991 Cessna 172
N66717
Detroit, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
Eximous Flying Club, Inc. No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Cessna 172N
N5352D
Napa, California, United States Bridgeford Flying SVC. No injuries -
9 Apr 1991 Cessna 172H
N3781F
Morehead, Kentucky, United States Roger Wend Minor injuries -
5 Apr 1991 Cessna 172A
N9852T
Hood River, Oregon, United States Paul J. Welp No injuries -
31 Mar 1991 Cessna 172M
N6852H
Ogden, Utah, United States Alta Aircraft No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
20 Jul 1991 Cessna C-172P
N54694
Hesperia, California, United States South Bay Aviation No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Beechcraft 76
N6045M
Sacramento, California, United States Altair Aviation Corp. No injuries -
27 Jul 1991 Ayres S2R
N3087D
Visalia, California, United States Gilbert Aviation Industries Serious injuries -
1 Aug 1991 Cessna 421C
N98455
Auburn, California, United States Edward Mueller No injuries -
2 Aug 1991 Champion 7GCBC
N1693G
Lake Elsinore, California, United States
no coordinates
Halbeisen, John F Fatal 2
2 Aug 1991 Mooney M20E
N5819Q
Riverside, California, United States
no coordinates
Todd Dreyer Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States