Cessna 172 accident near Palo Alto, California, October 22, 1984
On October 22, 1984 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N61739, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1984 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N61739 · registry record · serial 17264765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED ON FINAL APCH. ACFT CONTACTED A DIKE DURING FORCED LANDING COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. PLT SAID DIRECT ROUTE WAS FLOWN AT 10,500 FT MSL DESCENDING LOWER AFTER CROSSING MOUNTAINOUS AREA. PLT DID NOT LEAN MIXTURE DURING FLT OR REPORT WHICH FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED WHEN POWER LOSS OCCURRED. 1 GAL FUEL WAS FOUND IN LEFT TANK AND 5 GALS IN RT TANK. UNUSABLE FUEL FOR EACH TANK IS 2 1/2 GALS.
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: 281 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 178 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1984; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.