Cessna 172 accident near Fullerton, California, June 21, 2019
On June 21, 2019, a 1974 Cessna 172, registered N64460, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fullerton, California (Fullerton Muni airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to an age-degraded carburetor heat valve seal, which detached and partially blocked the carburetor air inlet. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate maintenance inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2019
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1974 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N64460 · no longer on the register · serial 17265247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff during a practice go-around, the engine lost partial power. With limited time to troubleshoot, the flight instructor maneuvered the airplane for an off-airport landing, and the airplane sustained substantial damage after impacting a street. Postaccident examination revealed that the aft section of the carburetor heat butterfly valve seal had detached and partially blocked the air inlet of the carburetor venturi. The obstruction reduced the amount of air available for combustion, resulting in a rich fuel-to-air mixture, and partial loss of power. The valve seal was composed of a fiber-reinforced rubberized material that degraded and became brittle over the 45-year life of the airplane. The mechanic who performed the last inspection stated that he confirmed the operation and condition of the butterfly valve by observing it through both the airbox assembly forward inlet and the heated air inlet on the rear right side of the unit. He stated that the aft section of the seal is hard to view due to the way it folds behind the butterfly valve and that the only way to clearly see it is through the heated air inlet, which was small.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,408 hours in all; 1,355 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command; 1,128 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 92 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 6, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,952.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 2019; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,126 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on May 10, 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 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Mechanic Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Service Difficulty Reports | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photos | PDF, 8 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.