Cessna 172S accident near Watsonville, California, December 7, 2003
On December 7, 2003, a Cessna 172S, registered N396TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California. 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2003
- Place
- Watsonville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N396TA · registry record · serial 172S9396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over during a forced landing in a muddy field following a total loss of engine power. The pilot was en route to Monterey at 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl), in instrument meteorological conditions, when the engine lost power and failed to restart after three attempts. The pilot stated that he had 10 gallons of fuel in the right and left fuel tanks. The airplane remained inverted in the field for a period of time due to the muddy conditions that made access and recovery very difficult. After recovery of the aircraft, 4 gallons of fuel was found in the right tank and 1.75 gallons were in the left tank. The fuel selector was positioned to the "Both" position and fuel was found in all components of the fuel system. Examination of the engine revealed no condition that would have prevented normal operation.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 219 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 147 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 108 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2003; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q99 San Martin CA
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
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.
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.