Cessna 172P N5268K

Summary

On 26 July 2002 at about 03:30 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N5268K was involved in an accident near Creston, California, United States. 3 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.

Date

26 July 2002 at 03:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Creston, California, United States

Nearest airport

Paso Robles (PRB)

Coordinates

35.6667, -120.6167

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N5268K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Paso Robles

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX02LA237

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the dark night conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane made a forced landing on a road and collided with a sign, following a total loss of engine power. Prior to takeoff, the pilot visually checked the fuel level by looking inside the tanks. He estimated that he had about 5 1/2 hours of fuel on board the airplane. He planned his cross-country to be about a 3-hour trip, in dark night conditions. While en route, about 12 miles from his planned destination, the engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine by following the procedures on the emergency checklist, but the engine would not start. He performed a forced landing on a road and the airplane's right wing collided with a sign. The pilot thought that the accident was a result of fuel exhaustion. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.