Cessna 172 accident near Placerville, California, March 31, 2019
On March 31, 2019 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 172, registered N7033Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Placerville, California (Placerville 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
The partial loss of engine power due to an improperly maintained carburetor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2019 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 L, built 1971 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7033Q · no longer on the register · serial 17260333
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the climb after takeoff the engine lost partial power. The pilot performed troubleshooting steps and initiated a return to the airport. The airplane was not able to maintain altitude and landed in trees about 300 ft short of the approach end of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed sooting signatures on the spark plug electrodes and inner surfaces of the exhaust pipe, indicating an excessively rich fuel-to-air mixture. Examination of the carburetor revealed multiple maintenance-related discrepancies, including an incorrectly adjusted float and a loose carburetor bowl. The discrepancies likely resulted in mixture irregularities and a loss of engine power. Maintenance instructions and a series of service bulletins had been published by the carburetor manufacturer to address these issues. The discrepancies appeared to have been present for a while and were likely present at the time of the last annual inspection. The carburetor had not been overhauled or serviced in at least 19 years even though the manufacturer recommended overhaul at 10-year intervals.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Not serviced/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 310.2 hours in all; 310.2 in this make and model; 2.2 in the last 90 days; 0.6 in the last 30 days; 151 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 27, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,851.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 2018; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 5,852 hours total
- Operator: Placerville Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Placerville CA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: PVF Placerville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,910 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KPVF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 19, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Including Statement | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Engine Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | C172L Owners Manual Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Carburetor Service Bulletins and Manual Excerpts | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Video of Carburetor Bowl Movement | MOV file | Download |
| 8 | Examination Photos (NTSB Unless Otherwise Noted) | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.