N5931R

Substantial
Minor

CESSNA 172GS/N: 17253600

Accident Details

Date
Friday, March 22, 2013
NTSB Number
WPR13CA163
Location
Temecula, CA
Event ID
20130326X31219
Coordinates
33.574165, -117.128608
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N5931R
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17253600
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1965
Model / ICAO
172GC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
3011 W BUCKEYE RD
Status
Deregistered
City
PHOENIX
State / Zip Code
AZ 85009-5734
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, the airplane lost engine power as he approached the destination airport. The pilot attempted to restart the engine unsuccessfully and performed a forced landing to a nearby street. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a chain link fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall, undercarriage, and the tail. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tanks remained intact and were not breached, and that both tanks contained a total of 1.5 gallons of fuel. The Cessna pilot operating handbook identifies 3.0 gallons as unusable. There was no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR13CA163