Cessna 172N accident near Simi Valley, California, August 21, 1994
On August 21, 1994 at about 5:18 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739VY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Simi Valley, California. It was an instructional 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE SUPERVISING FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TO FOLLOW THE FAA APPROVED SYLLABUS, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, DARKNESS, AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1994 · about 5:18 am local time
- Place
- Simi Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739VY · no longer on the register · serial 17270852
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS ENROLLED IN AN FAA-APPROVED PART 141 SCHOOL. HE PLANNED TO BEGIN A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AT 1415 PDT, BUT DID NOT DEPART UNTIL 1505. THE FLIGHT WAS TO BE A 3.3-HOUR-LONG ROUND-ROBIN TRIP TO LAUGHLIN, PARKER, BLYTHE, PALM SPRINGS, AND BACK TO BIG BEAR CITY. AT 1927, THE PILOT LANDED AT PALM SPRINGS, BOUGHT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL FOR THE 32-MILE RETURN FLIGHT HOME, AND TOOK OFF AT 1950. EN ROUTE, LIGHT CONDITIONS BECAME DARK. THE PILOT HAD NO NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON THE CABIN LIGHTS OR COMMUNICATE VIA RADIO. AFTER FLYING WESTBOUND FOR ABOUT 100 MILES AND 2.5 HOURS, ALL FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A STREET, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH AN AUTOMOBILE. THE AUTOMOBILE DRIVER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER OF THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. A REVIEWED OF THE STUDENT'S TRAINING RECORDS REVEALED THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE REQUIRED FAA-APPROVED SYLLABUS. SPECIFICALLY, THE CFI HAD NOT PROVIDED THE REQUIRED INSTRUCTION BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD PHASE CHECKS, AND HE FAILED TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENT HAD THE REQUIRED NIGHTTIME FLIGHT TRAINING BEFORE ASSIGNING THE SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT.
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: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aero Haven, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 2:50 am
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.