NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 15, 2004, about 1040 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, Canadian registry C-GTKX, collided with a sign and impacted terrain shortly after departing a residential street in Yuba City, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions 14 CFR 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The personal cross-country flight departed at an unknown time, from an unknown location, with a planned destination of Napa Valley, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.

During a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, a witness stated that the airplane approached a paved road located in a housing development. He noted that the airplane was at a low altitude, and the engine appeared to be producing very little power. The airplane landed to the south and continued the landing roll to the end of the road where it reached a cul-de-sac. The airplane made a 180-degree turn and taxied in a northerly direction up the road until reaching a semi-truck. The semi-truck, with a gravel hopper attached, was parked on the road about 1/3 of the road length from the north end, or about 1,300 feet from the south end of the road.

The witness further stated that again, the airplane turned 180 degrees, this time to face in a southerly direction. The airplane came to a stop and the engine sounded as though it was revving. Several seconds later, the airplane began to roll down the road and subsequently became airborne. While in the initial climb, about 600 feet down the road, the airplane impacted a sign with the left wing. As the airplane approached power lines, the nose began to pitch up. About 40 to 60 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane stalled and nose dived toward the terrain.

A conversation with the fiancé of the pilot revealed that the airplane was normally hangared at a short airstrip, stretching about 1,125 feet long. The pilot regularly departed that airstrip and was comfortable making short field takeoffs and landings, regardless of unfavorable environmental conditions (for example high temperature). The pilot left a message on her answering machine the night before the accident, where he indicated that he was in Red Bluff, California, and that he planned to sleep in the plane that night. In the morning he was planning to continue his trip to the final destination of Petaluma, California. He had planned this cross-country 5 years prior to the accident, and told her that it was to be his last solo cross-country. She noted that on the message he sounded quite tired, as his trip had originated early that morning from Boundry Bay, Vancouver.

The fiancé further stated that at the beginning of his flying career, the pilot landed an airplane on a residential street, as a result of a wrong calculation. Many of his flying friends knew of this incident and playfully teased him about it for over 20 years. She also recalled that about a year before the accident, she and the pilot were attending a "fly-in" at a nearby airport in Canada. While on final approach, the pilot noticed an aircraft was not cleared off the runway and he opted to perform a go-around. He configured the airplane in an excessive nose-high attitude and made a steep turn to the left. The stall warning horn sounded, which he could not hear due to his hearing impairment. She pointed out the stall warning horn, and he maneuvered the airplane into a normal configuration.

Radar data was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control facility. A review of the radar data indicates that the airplane was flying on a southerly heading about 800 feet mean sea level (msl). As the target track approached the area of the accident site, the radar returns showed the aircraft paralleling the Sutter County airport's runway, which was about a 1 1/2 miles to the west. When the airplane was about 1 1/2 miles south of the airport, the track made a 630-degree turn (1 3/4 complete revolutions), about 1 mile in diameter, and then the airplane turned south again and tracked toward the accident site. The radar returns cease over the accident site at a mode C reported altitude of 700 feet.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot's personal flight records were not provided to the Safety Board investigator for examination. According to the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medical Examination Report, the pilot held a Canadian private pilot certificate, with an airplane rating for single engine land. In an application for an aviation medical certificate on November 12, 2003, the pilot reported that his total flight time was 1,200 hours, of which 30 were in the pervious 90 days.

The pilot held a current Medical Category 3 medical certificate, with limitations that he wear glasses and that he utilize a hearing aid or headset.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane and engine maintenance records were not located, however the airplane's regular mechanic provided a Safety Board investigator with excerpts of the logbooks. The Cessna 172M airplane, serial number 17266625, was manufactured in 1975. The last annual inspection was completed on June 11, 2004. The total airframe time was listed as 2,759.1 hours with a total engine time of 1,534.5.

COMMUNICATION

The pilot was not communicating with any FAA air traffic control facility during the time period encompassing the accident sequence.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The global positioning system (GPS) coordinates for the estimated 45-foot msl accident site were: 39 degrees 05.460 minutes north latitude by 121 degrees 37.118 west longitude. The accident site was in a housing development area comprised of dirt lots, partially erect wood-frame houses, and several newly paved roads. Situated on level dirt terrain, the airplane was in an upright attitude oriented on a 270-degree magnetic bearing. All airframe components were with the main wreckage along with all flight control surfaces, which had remained attached to their respective hinges.

The nearest airport to the accident site was Sutter County Airport (O52), elevation 58 feet, and on a magnetic bearing of about 030 degrees. At the GPS coordinates given in the Airport Facilities Directory, the airport was about 1 mile away from the site.

Investigator's examination of the first identified point of impact revealed white paint transfer signatures and impact damage to a street sign and its corresponding steel pole. The green street sign consisted of two connected signs stacked vertically, and oriented perpendicular of one another. The sign separated from the pole and was resting several feet to the south. The sign and pole were parallel to a paved road about 2,000 feet long by 50 feet wide, with a cul-de-sac at each end; the road was oriented about 340/160 degrees.

Several ground scar impressions were near the main wreckage that dimensionally and geometrically resembled the left wing tip, the nose of the airplane, and the right wing. The furthest point of impact consisted of a 3-foot-long ground scar that was about 45 feet from the airplane's engine, in a westerly direction (about 250 degrees magnetic). Adjacent to the dirt depression was a red lens, which the Cessna representative identified to be the left wing's missing navigation light lens. Another ground disturbance, having the appearance of a shallow crater, was about 18 feet from the airplane's engine, in a westerly direction (265 degrees magnetic). Imbedded in the crater-like impression was the outboard portion of a propeller blade measuring 1 foot 9 inches. The other ground disturbance was about 5 feet long, located 4 feet from the airplane's engine, in a northwesterly direction (330 degrees magnetic); a median path of paint chips were scattered through the indentation.

The main wreckage was about 15 feet away from first identified point of impact on a bearing of 130 degrees. Fire consumed the entire cabin from the firewall aft to the aft baggage compartment (about 4 feet forward from the rudder). Fire consumed all flight and engine instruments, along with cockpit system switches.

The right wing separated from the fuselage, although the corresponding fuselage skin was thermally destroyed. The strut was still attached and connected to an intact portion of the lower fuselage. Investigators noted vertical and horizontal crush deformation on the outboard section of the right wing's leading edge, extending about 6 feet to the mid wing. The crush was 90 degrees to the chord line, with the leading edge appearing to have folded into itself. Recovery agents drained about 8 gallons of a blue fluid that had the odor and appearance similar to that of aviation fuel from the fuel tank.

The left wing separated from the fuselage and sustained thermal damage from the wing root outboard about 3 feet. The leading edge wing tip was crushed aft, which spanned about 2 feet. On the bottom outboard portion of the left wing and extending to the aileron was an elongated puncture in the skin oriented perpendicular to the airplane's wing span. Recovery agents drained about 12 gallons of a blue fluid that had the odor and appearance similar to that of aviation fuel from the fuel tank.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Sutter County Coroner completed an autopsy. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Okalahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot. Analysis of the specimens contained no findings for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and tested drugs.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Following recovery, the wreckage was examined at the storage facility of Plain Parts, Pleasant Grove, California.

Investigators established continuity for the elevators and rudders. The ailerons cables separated in the cabin overhead area location, with the cable ends exhibiting a necked down and broom straw appearance. They established continuity in the wing area, but the cockpit area could not be examined due to thermal damage. The wing flap actuator jackscrews measured about 2 ¾ inches, which, according to the Cessna representative, corresponded to a flap extension of about 10 degrees. The elevator trim was in a neutral position.

The Lycoming 0-320-E2A, serial number L-4416627A, sustained impact and fire damage, with all the accessories burned. No engine logbooks were located. Investigators performed a teardown examination during which they removed and inspected all cylinders, pistons, and accessories.

The throttle arm was fully forward. The engine's internal mechanical continuity was established during rotation of the crankshaft and upon attainment of thumb compression. Thereafter, investigators disassembled the engine and confirmed continuity of the valves and gear train.

Investigators removed the cylinders, which revealed no evidence of foreign object ingestion or detonation. All valves were intact and the internal cylinder domes and piston crowns exhibited similar combustion deposits and coloration. Examination of the valves and guides revealed no visual evidence of material transfer. Fire consumed both magnetos; however, both remained secure on their respective mounts. The ignition harnesses were attached at the respective magnetos and spark plugs and fire destroyed both of them. Investigators removed the top spark plugs, and noted no mechanical damage. The electrodes and posts exhibited a light ash gray coloration, which the Lycoming representative said was consistent to normal operation and wear.

Investigators removed the heat shroud surrounding the muffler, which revealed deposits of white powder near the air intake duct, stretching in an oval shaped 7-inch area. Impact forces destroyed the carburetor; however, the inlet screen was clear. Evidence of oil lubrication was found throughout the engine.

Both propellers blades exhibited chordwise striations and were torsionally twisted. One portion of a blade was in a crater in front of the main wreckage and had a polished appearance on the leading edge.

There was no evidence of premishap mechanical malfunctions observed during the examination of the engine and airframe.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall.