Cessna Aircraft CO LC41-550FG incident near Seal Beach, California, December 8, 2015
On December 8, 2015 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 2008 Cessna Aircraft CO LC41-550FG, registered N932AC, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (cruise) near Seal Beach, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper maintenance performed on the left magneto which led to a loss of engine power. Contributing to the incident was the pilot's failure to check the magnetos in flight in compliance with manufacturers guidance regarding rough running engine. The pilot's decision to continue the flight after experiencing the rough running engine contributed to the necessity for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2015 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Seal Beach, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO LC41-550FG UNDESIGNAT, built 2008
- Registration
- N932AC · registry record · serial 411021
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that the engine started "missing" [running rough] just after departure but he corrected the condition by leaning the mixture. While in cruise the engine started "missing" again but smoothed out after he turned towards a nearby airport, at which point the pilot decided to continue to his destination. When approximately 4 miles away from his destination the engine started to run rough, then quit. The pilot made a forced landing in to an open area. The pilot stated that he did not perform a magneto check at any time after the engine began running rough. Examination of the engine magnetos revealed that the left magneto gear washer and nylon washer had been installed in reverse order resulting in rapid bushing wear and excessive radial play of the distributor drive gear. This wear led to a migration of the internal timing in the left magneto that could have led to misfires or kickbacks during start that caused shock to the gear train and damaged one or more distributor gear teeth in the right magneto. Damage to one or more gear teeth led to a cascade of gear tooth fractures as the right magneto continued to operate. Eventually the right magneto drive gear decoupled from the engine resulting in cylinder 3 or 6 receiving a spark each time the points were opened during cam rotation, causing random ignition of the fuel-air mixture in those cylinders. The pilot's failure to follow the Pilot's Operating Handbook guidance to check the operation of the individual left and right magnetos once the engine began running rough likely missed the opportunity to regain engine power utilizing the functional left magneto.
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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Damaged/degraded
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,774 hours in all; 352 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,027 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2015; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-550-C (piston); 1,027 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMYG San Diego CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KLGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:58 am from KLGB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. 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 WPR16IA044.