Cessna 172M accident near Lakeport, California, April 29, 2013
On April 29, 2013 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 172M, registered N20800, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Lakeport, California (Lakeport 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
Loss of engine power during climb due to a failure of the No. 2 piston assembly; the reason for the failure could not be determined because of the extent of damage to the piston assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2013 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · Lakeport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1975 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20800 · no longer on the register · serial 17263840
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb following takeoff, the engine began to make a rumbling sound. The pilot began a series of troubleshooting steps, and a short time later, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing into a vineyard, where the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. Examination of the engine revealed catastrophic internal failure focused primarily in the area of the No. 2 piston. Following the failure, excessive heat developed within the engine, which caused the crankshaft to expand and impinge on the oil pump, which in turn failed. The damage sustained to the piston, connecting rod bearing, and connecting rod bolts, prevented an accurate assessment of the failure mode.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 513 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 8.5 in the last 90 days; 2.2 in the last 30 days; 442 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2013; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 10,160 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O2 Lakeport CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 1O2 Lakeport CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from UKI, 16 miles away
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.