Cessna 172 accident near Ukiah, CA
On October 28, 2021, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ukiah, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 28, 2021
- Place
- Ukiah, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 39.123°N, 123.200°W
- NTSB ID
- 20211028104177
Official records · WPR22FA022
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 28, 2021, at 1311, a Cessna 172M, N1870V, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Ukiah, California. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The pilot was making a solo cross-country flight as part of his requirements in pursuit of a private pilot's license and had planned for a full stop landing at Ukiah Municipal Airport. According to FAA automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed Napa County Airport at 1219 and flew a direct course to Ukiah, arriving in the traffic pattern from the southeast at 1308. About that time, a witness, who was located near the north end of Runway 15 on the west side of the airport, noticed the airplane “porpoising” at the approach (north) end of Runway 15. He watched as the pilot initiated a go-around, and the airplane climbed with the flaps deployed. He did not think much more of it and looked away. A security camera located about midfield on the west side of the runway captured the airplane during the initial climb phase of the go-around. The video revealed that the airplane climbed to about 60 ft agl and then assumed a level attitude, while still tracking over the runway. After reaching midfield, the airplane pitched down and descended toward the runway. The airplane’s nose struck the ground, separating the nosewheel, and the airplane continued to travel along the runway, until it passed out of the camera’s field of view behind a building.
Probable cause
A power interruption due to water-contaminated fuel, which resulted in the student pilot aborting the takeoff and landing hard. Contributing to the accident were a leak in the left fuel tank that allowed water to enter and damage to the fuel tank that prevented water from being properly drained during the preflight inspection.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
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Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
