Cessna 172N accident near Valencia, California, June 4, 1994
On June 4, 1994 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734ZK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valencia, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable field for an off-airport landing and attempted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1994 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Valencia, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734ZK · registry record · serial 69243
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a statement to responding county sheriff's deputies, the pilot said that while returning to the airport he experienced a compelling physiological need and landed the aircraft in an open dirt field. During the takeoff ground roll, the aircraft encountered soft soil and nosed over. In his written statement to the Safety Board, the pilot reported that during the takeoff ground roll just prior to rotation, the engine started to run rough. The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff and could not stop prior to encountering a plowed area of the field. The engine was removed from the aircraft and taken to an engine repair facility. The engine was installed in a test cell, where it started on the first attempt and ran smoothly throughout all normal power ranges.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX94LA238.