Cessna 140 accident near Bakersfield, California, December 23, 2000
On December 23, 2000 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72970, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield Municipal). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning, fuel management, and inadequate remedial actions, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. The pilot made an off-field landing and collided with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2000 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72970 · no longer on the register · serial 25928-6-12
- 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 precipitated by fuel starvation and a loss of engine power, the airplane collided with a fence and overturned. The engine stopped producing power about 2 miles from the airport, and the pilot thought he could make it to the airport. About 500 feet above the ground, he noticed the airport boundary fence. He felt he might strike it with the landing gear while in flight, so he decided to land short of the airport. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot saw fuel leaking from the inverted wing fuel tanks and evacuated the airplane. The pilot did not recall moving the fuel selector valve after landing. The fuel selector valve pointed to a position 20 to 30 degrees left of the right fuel tank position. It pointed to the middle of a placard that indicated right tank. However, a mechanic said he felt this position would not allow either tank to supply sufficient fuel to the engine. He observed a flexible detent that was installed to ensure proper position of the fuel selector valve when the right fuel tank was selected. The flexible detent bent down and was not useable.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 16,900 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 2000; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L80 Hi Desert CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: L45
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 333° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 111°F (44°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from BFL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.