Cessna 175 accident near Kaiser/Lake Oza, Missouri, July 9, 2002
On July 9, 2002 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 175, registered N175HL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaiser/Lake Oza, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to conduct the flight with a known deficiency in the aircraft, a failure by the pilot to execute a precautionary landing due to "sluggish" performance during takeoff, the loss of engine power due to the malfunction of the left magneto, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. Contributing factors were the low ambient light due to the time of day (night), and the tree line at the edge of the field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2002 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Kaiser/Lake Oza, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N175HL · no longer on the register · serial 55002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a forced landing into a hayfield, the aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted a perimeter tree line. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's performance was "somewhat sluggish and was slow to accelerate up to 100 mph", according to the pilot. He reported that approximately five miles from the airport at 400 ft agl, the engine suffered a "catastrophic loss of power." He noted that returning to the airport was not possible due to the developing descent rate and that options for a forced landing site were limited due to the terrain. A small hay field was selected, however, he was unable to stop prior to the tree line at the edge of the field. A post-accident engine examination by the FAA inspector on-scene noted that the left magneto drive gear had malfuntioned, producing an erratic spark distribution and resulting in a significant loss of engine performance. The pilot reported having engine problems the day before the accident flight. He returned to the departure airport and consulted a mechanic. A loose spark plug lead was secured and a non-firing spark plug was replaced. The mechanic's statement noted that the airplane still was not developing rated static RPM's and was not within tolerances on the magneto checks. He determined that the left magneto needed to be replaced or repaired. The pilot's statement reported that the engine performance was within specifications, and that the mechanic indicated replacement of the left magneto was optional. No logbook entry was made for the work done. In addition, the accident flight was conducted with a total of five occupants on-board: two adults and three children. This exceeded the number of approved seats/seat belts installed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 199 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 169 as pilot in command; 29 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 10, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2002; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIZ Kaiser/Lake Oza MO at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PIA Peoria IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 am from AIZ, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.