Cessna 140 accident near New Cuyama, California, May 8, 2005
On May 8, 2005 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N89671, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Cuyama, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to properly use carburetor heat during conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in the loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable landing terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2005 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Cuyama, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N89671 · no longer on the register · serial 8719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power while the airplane was in cruise flight and the airplane collided with obstacles and rough terrain during a forced landing. During cruise flight at 5,500 feet, the pilot felt a vibration in the engine. The vibration seemed to go through the entire airframe. The pilot applied carburetor heat for approximately 20 seconds. He removed the carburetor heat because it did not seem to help the situation and the engine began sputtering. He pulled the power back and began descending, attempting to troubleshoot the problem. The condition worsened and the pilot attempted to climb the airplane but there was not enough power available. All of the engine gauges appeared "in the green" and the pilot could not recall the rpm reading. The pilot and passenger began searching for a place to land and crash-landed into a tree in a crevice in the mountain. The temperature/dew point spread at 4,000 and 5,000 feet mean sea level indicated that moderate carburetor icing conditions existed at cruise power, when compared to a carburetor icing chart. According to the pilot operating handbook for the Cessna 140, "The correct way to use carburetor heat is to first use full heat to remove any ice that is forming." Post accident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have resulted in a loss of power.
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
- Flight time: 182 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,253.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2004; 33.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from SMX, 26 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.