Cessna 172N N738YL

Summary

On 25 October 2003 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N738YL was involved in an accident near Fresno, California, United States. One person was 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

25 October 2003 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fresno, California, United States

Nearest airport

Fresno Chandler (FCH)

Coordinates

36.7322, -119.8197

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N738YL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fresno Chandler → Sacramento

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04CA024

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power. Also causal was the pilot's failure to follow engine out emergency procedures as defined by the pilot operating handbook.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The engine lost engine power during flight and the airplane nosed over during an emergency landing in a field. The pilot reported that after an uneventful departure, he was en route when the engine lost power. He applied carburetor heat and placed the mixture in the full forward position. He turned toward a nearby airport while attempting restart procedures; the engine was unresponsive. While on final, the pilot realized that he was not going to make the airport and landed the airplane in a field. As the main wheels touched down, the airplane nosed over. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found the fuel selector on the left tank. Approximately 1/2 gallon of fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank; approximately 20 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right tank. After the engine failure, the pilot did not switch fuel tanks. The pilot operating handbook for the Cessna 172N states that in the event of an engine failure, the pilot should move the fuel selector valve into the "BOTH" position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.