Paso Robles Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Creston, California 93432
Thursday, July 25, 2002 20:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Creston
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93432
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 354000N
Event Location Longitude 1203700W
Event Location Airport Paso Robles
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 12
Degrees magnetic from airport 148
Airport Elevation 836
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 148
Weather Observation Facility ID PRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 836
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) 1306
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15913
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Jose, CA FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5268K
NTSB Number LAX02LA237
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274038
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 9668.8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John H G Emberson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City San Diego
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92104
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYF
Departure City San Diego
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PRB
Destination City Paso Robles
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2004 6:16PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --