Cessna 152 accident near Rancho Murieta, California, January 4, 2006
On January 4, 2006 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49391, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Murieta, California (Rancho Murieta airport). 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
fuel contamination (water) due to the inadequate preflight by both pilots, which failed to detect the residual water contamination in fuel system. A factor in the accident was the soft terrain condition at the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2006 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Murieta, California · Rancho Murieta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49391 · no longer on the register · serial 15283452
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional 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 after a loss of engine power. The instructor stated they were completing a flight review for the pilot at the time of the accident. After the airplane was fueled the instructor sumped the tanks and found water in the right wing. The pilot told the instructor that during the preflight he also found water in the sump. The instructor sumped the tanks 3 or 4 times until there was no water in the samples. Both pilots were then confident there was no more water in the fuel tanks and they proceeded with the flight. After a simulated engine failure the pilot applied full throttle to go around. About 400 feet mean sea level on climb out, the engine lost power and the instructor took the controls to make an emergency landing. A soft muddy field was the only place available that the airplane could glide to and the instructor performed a soft field landing, but the nose gear dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over. An examination of the engine and fuel system was conducted after the accident. Water was found in the gascolator and carburetor bowl. A fuel supply was plumbed into the wing root fuel line and the engine was started on the first attempt. The engine was stopped and started again with no anomalies found.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 879 hours in all; 266 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 669 as pilot in command; 348 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 129 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,285.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA
- Destination: RIU Rancho Murieta CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from KSAC
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.