The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Reno, Nevada
Location: Nevada City, CA
Accident Number: WPR21LA224
Date & Time: June 2, 2021, 10:00 Local
Registration: N3871L
Aircraft: Cessna 172G
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On June 02, 2021, about 1000 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N3871L, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Nevada City, California. The pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
According to the pilot, the reposition flight was conducted in preparation for the sale of the airplane. The airplane departed Sutter County Airport, in Yuba City, California, with the destination of Reno, Nevada. During the initial climb, about 6,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot noticed that the airplane’s engine oil temperature gauge needle was in the red. He attempted to troubleshoot the anomaly by cycling the carburetor heat and increasing the mixture to rich. Subsequently, he decreased the engine power, which reduced the engine oil temperature below the red line. The adjusted power setting allowed the airplane to continue climbing up to the pilot’s selected altitude of 9,500 ft msl. Nevertheless, about 8,500 ft msl, the pilot heard a change in the engine noise and confirmed a loss of power by watching the engine RPM gradually decrease.
Again, the pilot began to troubleshoot the anomaly by confirming that the fuel selector was in the “Both” position and he adjusted the mixture control. Additionally, he ensured that the carburetor heat was in the off position and he increased the throttle to produce the maximum engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, he declared an emergency and initiated an approach to a clear area within the mountainous terrain. During the approach, the airplane’s right wing struck tree-tops, and the airplane yawed to the right. The airplane touched in a side loaded attitude and the left main landing gear collapsed. On the ground, the airplane continued to rotate in a counterclockwise manner, and came to rest with the nose of the airplane heading 180° opposite the landing direction. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage.
According to the pilot, the airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-300D reciprocating engine with nearly 1,850 hours of operation. He recalled that two years prior to the accident, getting the engine to start became an issue and the carburetor was replaced. The most recent airplane maintenance conducted was an annual inspection completed December of 2020.
During the annual, the left and the right engine magnetos were replaced. He reported that the replacement of the magnetos occurred because consistently, an excessive number of attempts were conducted to start the airplane’s engine. He asserted that on many occasions after refueling the airplane, the engine would not restart, and that the battery would have to be recharged as a result of the numerous attempts.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N3871L
Model/Series: 172G
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBLU,5283 ft msl
Observation Time: 09:52 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C /5°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 270°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.18 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Yuba City, CA (O52)
Destination: Reno, NV (RNO)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.413003,-120.74969 (est)
