Cessna 172H accident near Santa Rosa, California, August 19, 2023
On August 19, 2023 at about 10:20 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 172H, registered N3282L, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Santa Rosa, California (Santa Rosa airport). It was a business 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 pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2023 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Santa Rosa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H, built 1967 · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3282L · registry record · serial 17256182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the airplane recently had an engine upgrade and he was flying it to break in the engine. He had performed fuel calculations based on its previously consumption rate and did not realize the new engine was consuming more fuel than planned. During final approach the airplane experienced a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot performed a forced landing on an open field with high vegetation, substantially damaging the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,154 hours in all; 1,770 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSTS Santa Rosa WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KSTS
Weather report (METAR): KSTS 192153Z 16012G16KT 10SM CLR 26/15 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP081 T02560150
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 4, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 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.