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LAX93LA072

1992-12-22 · FULLERTON, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FUL

Current FAA registration · N61798

Make / Model
CESSNA 180K
Year of manufacture
1978 · 14 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A80C73

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE AIRPLANE'S OWNERS (INCLUDING THE PILOT) POOR MAINTENANCE AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE DETERIORATED OVERWING FUEL CAPS SEALS AND THE TAILWIND.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT DRAINED OUT MULTIPLE FUEL TESTER TUBES OF WATER BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT OFF THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND LANDED DOWNWIND, BEYOND MIDFIELD. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED CONSIDERABLE WATER REMAINED IN THE FUEL TANKS AND THE OVERWING FUEL CAP SEALS WERE DETERIORATED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX93LA072.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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