Cessna 172C accident near Corona, California, December 5, 2001

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

During an aborted landing attempt, the engine lost power and the airplane impacted soft swampy terrain. The nose wheel impacted the terrain first and was sheared off. The airplane came to an abrupt stop, and came to rest upright. On the approach the student pilot/owner/operator, who was also the pilot flying, moved the fuel selector to the BOTH position. He did not visually verify the fuel selector's actual position, he did it by feel. The airplane landed hard and began to porpoise down the runway. The private pilot, seated in the right seat, took the flight controls from the student pilot and initiated an aborted landing. He advanced the throttle, and the airplane climbed to 80 feet when the engine quit. The private pilot aimed the airplane towards the ground to avoid trees situated off the departure end of the runway. The student pilot refueled the airplane prior to departure, and noted no mechanical anomalies on the return flight. After the accident, fuel was observed in both fuel tanks. Due to the nose down, wing low attitude of the airplane on-scene, a determination could not be made as to the amount of fuel on board. Post accident examination of the airframe and engine disclosed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. The carburetor heat control was found in the off position. According to the aviation routine weather report for an airport 10 statute miles from the accident site, the temperature/dew point was 45 degrees and 41 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Probability Chart, the conditions were conducive to serious icing.

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.