Primary finding
Probable cause
undetermined.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was conducting a cross-country flight at 4,500 feet mean sea level and does not remember any further events until the aircraft crashed into a marsh area, about 20 minutes after departure. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot received minor injuries. The pilot reported to law enforcement personnel that he thought he may have fallen asleep.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 11, 1994, about 1500 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N7112T, crashed about 2 miles south of Suisun City, California, in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight to Santa Rosa, California, when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by Santa Rosa Aircraft Sales, was destroyed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton, California, about 1440 hours. The pilot reported he last remembered flying about 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) in cruise flight. The next memory that the pilot reported was "climbing out of the aircraft at the crash site." The pilot reported to a responding deputy from the Solano County Sheriff's Department that he thought he fell asleep. The reporting deputy stated that the pilot was "responsive but appeared disoriented." -