Cessna 172RG accident near Stanford, California, March 20, 2001
On March 20, 2001 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6307R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stanford, California. 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
Failure of company maintenance personnel to properly install and safety wire the oil filter, which subsequently lead to a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2001 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stanford, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6307R · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the landing roll out following an emergency landing, the nose landing gear dug into the soft dirt and the airplane nosed over. During cruise, the CFI asked the student if he heard knocking. The student replied that he did hear the knocking. Both pilots saw the oil pressure gage reading zero, simultaneously the knocking increased, and then the engine quit. The external examination of the engine revealed that the bottom of the fuselage, firewall, and the rear of the engine were coated with oil. The inspection further revealed that the oil filter had not been tightened or safety wired to the engine. Review of the engine logbook disclosed that an oil change was completed the day prior to the accident.
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: 409 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 360 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 65 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Valley Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:16 pm
- Destination: PAO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from PAO
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.