Cessna 172N accident near Fresno, California, October 25, 2003
On October 25, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738YL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fresno, California (Fresno Chandler airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power. Also causal was the pilot's failure to follow engine out emergency procedures as defined by the pilot operating handbook.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2003 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Chandler · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738YL · registry record · serial 17270341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost engine power during flight and the airplane nosed over during an emergency landing in a field. The pilot reported that after an uneventful departure, he was en route when the engine lost power. He applied carburetor heat and placed the mixture in the full forward position. He turned toward a nearby airport while attempting restart procedures; the engine was unresponsive. While on final, the pilot realized that he was not going to make the airport and landed the airplane in a field. As the main wheels touched down, the airplane nosed over. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found the fuel selector on the left tank. Approximately 1/2 gallon of fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank; approximately 20 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right tank. After the engine failure, the pilot did not switch fuel tanks. The pilot operating handbook for the Cessna 172N states that in the event of an engine failure, the pilot should move the fuel selector valve into the "BOTH" position.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 276 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno Chandler CA
- Destination: SAC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N738YL on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,686 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,303 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fresno Chandler Executive · nearest airport
- Sacramento Executive · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX04CA024.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.