Cessna 172B accident near King City, California, August 11, 1991
On August 11, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N7910X, was substantially damaged in an accident near King City, California. It was a personal 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
THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING, AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER ON LANDING ROLL OUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- King City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7910X · no longer on the register · serial 1724841D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED TO A FIELD. ON LANDING ROLL OUT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED HIGH VEGETATION AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BY THE FAA REVEALED THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED.
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: 115 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 79 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,548 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1990; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 045 Vacaville CA at 7:40 pm
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.