Cessna 172M accident near Stockton, California, April 12, 2007
On April 12, 2007 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9685Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockton, California (Stockton Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel while en route.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2007 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, California · Stockton Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9685Q · no longer on the register · serial 17265769
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a loss of engine power, the airplane landed short of the runway, collapsing the nose gear and buckling the engine firewall. The pilot departed with both fuel tanks full. His route of flight usually takes 3 hours to fly. He encountered turbulence and strong winds, which had the effect of increasing the flight time to 4 hours. As he lined up for a straight-in approach to the runway, the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a forced landing short of the approach end of runway and collided with the ground and a fence. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical malfunctions. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the accident scene and confirmed that there was no fuel onboard.
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: 235 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KEMT El Monte CA at 8:00 am
- Destination: KSCK Stockton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 10,650 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KSCK, 1 miles away
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.