# Accident 19900418010269A: Cessna 172H, Columbia Falls, MT, April 18, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 1990, 17:30 local time
- Place: Columbia Falls, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.4093° N, 114.1503° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4093&lon=-114.1503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3233L (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172H
- Reported engine: CONT O300D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 53 total, 53 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN90LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN90LA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900418010269A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

RAN OUT OF FUEL EN ROUTE. OVERSHOT SOD FIELD INTO PLOWED FIELD ON FORCED LANDING AND NOSED OVER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN90LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN90LA093), Apr 18, 1990: Cessna 172 (N3233L), Columbia Falls, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PREFLIGHT AND SECURE THE FUEL CAP WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF FUEL AND THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUTION. FACTOR WAS SOFT TERRAIN DURING FORCED LANDING.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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