Cessna 172N accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 8, 2002
On February 8, 2002 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75616, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power as result of the failure of the dual magneto. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2002 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N75616 · no longer on the register · serial 17267852
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After reaching the intended cruise altitude during an instructional cross-country flight, the flight instructor noticed the airplane was not accelerating to the desired cruise speed. Within one or two minutes, after adjusting the mixture and applying carbuerator heat, the engine began to operate rough. The student pilot turned the airplane back toward the departure airport. As the flight proceeded, the engine roughness and power loss amplified. Approximately 9 miles southeast of the airport, the flight instructor elected to execute a precautionary landing to a dirt road. During the precautionary landing, the airplane touched down on the nose landing gear, and after impacting a ditch, the nose gear separated. The airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted. During an examination of the engine, the single-drive dual magneto's lower timing inspection port was removed and approximately 2 cups of engine oil drained from the magneto. It was determined that the magneto driveshaft oil seal had failed allowing engine oil to enter the magneto. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated 2,030 hours since major overhaul.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,040 hours in all; 953 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,713 as pilot in command; 742 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,397 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 21, 2001; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 5:10 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.