Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watsonville, California 95076
Saturday, December 6, 2003 16:42 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane nosed over during a forced landing in a muddy field following a total loss of engine power. The pilot was en route to Monterey at 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl), in instrument meteorological conditions, when the engine lost power and failed to restart after three attempts. The pilot stated that he had 10 gallons of fuel in the right and left fuel tanks. The airplane remained inverted in the field for a period of time due to the muddy conditions that made access and recovery very difficult. After recovery of the aircraft, 4 gallons of fuel was found in the right tank and 1.75 gallons were in the left tank. The fuel selector was positioned to the "Both" position and fuel was found in all components of the fuel system. Examination of the engine revealed no condition that would have prevented normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/6/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1642
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Watsonville
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95076
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365658N
Event Location Longitude 1214813W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1635 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID WVI
Elevation of weather observation facility 160
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19198
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 6 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Jose, CA FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N396TA
NTSB Number LAX04LA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9396
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 108
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven Paul Timmons
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Long Beach
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90807
Operator is an individual? No
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 Q99
Departure City San Martin
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1622
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MRY
Destination City Monterey
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2005 11:18AM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --