Cessna 172F accident near Rancho Murieta, California, July 8, 2010
On July 8, 2010 at about 5:42 am local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8793U, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Rancho Murieta, California (Rancho Murieta 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
A total loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2010 · about 5:42 am local time
- Place
- Rancho Murieta, California · Rancho Murieta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8793U · no longer on the register · serial 17252698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that when he was about 7 miles from his intended destination the engine began to run rough and lost all power about one minute later. He unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine multiple times. The pilot decided to try to land at a closer airport but realized he would not be able to make it to that airport, either, so he elected to land in an open field. During landing the airplane bounced and the right wing collided with a tree, which spun the airplane around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Local fire department first responders reported that when they arrived on scene there were no fuel leaks and there was no odor of fuel present on-scene. They attempted to drain fuel from the sump but no fuel came out. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and reported that there was no fuel at the selector valve or in the wing tanks. The pilot stated that "... adding additional fuel in excess of [the] perceived minimum fuel level would likely have avoided [the] power loss...."
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,060 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 28, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,844 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2010; 3 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Low Flying Angels, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KHJO Hanford CA at 4:00 am
- Destination: KMHR Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 am from KMHR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.