# Accident 19970131001069A: Cessna 172N, Fort Wayne, IN, January 31, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 1997, 22:01 local time
- Place: Fort Wayne, IN
- Airport: Fort Wayne Municipal - Baer Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.0701° N, 85.1707° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0701&lon=-85.1707&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4696G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4696G-2012-11-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 149 total, 130 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970131001069A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 31, 1997, AT 2202 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A CESSNA 172N, N4696G, REGISTERED TO AEROLINA, INC., OF HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 23 AT FORT WAYNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT INTENDED TO STOP AT FORT WAYNE, INDIANA FOR FUEL. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, AT 1730 EST WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF ELKHART, INDIANA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE SAID, "...ON FINAL APPROACH TO FWA [FORT WAYNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT] & LOST POWER LATER DISCOVERED OUT OF FUEL." POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION PRINCIPAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR (PMI) STATED THAT HE REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS, AND THEY WERE CLEAN AND DRY. TURNED THE PROPELLER THROUGH AND RECEIVED A GOOD SPARK FROM BOTH MAGNETOS. THE PMI DRAINED FUEL FROM THE FUEL FILTER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND RECEIVED A TOTAL OF ONE AND A HALF GALLONS OF CLEAN BLUE COLOR FUEL. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES THAT THE TOTAL UNUSABLE FUEL IS 3 GALLONS. NOTE:(.19) WAS ENTERED WITH INCORRECT A/C REGISTRATION NUMBER. (ENTERED AS N4969G AND LATER DELETED) (-23) THE PILOT OF N4696G DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON A 2 MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 23 AT BAER FIELD FT. WAYNE, INDIANA.  PILOT STATED HE WAS LOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE FIELD AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY INSIDE A DRAINAGE RETENTION POND.

## 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 CHI97LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA062), Feb 1, 1997: Cessna 172N (N4696G), Fort Wayne, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate fuel management and fuel system exhaustion. A factor involved was the inadequate in-flight planning/decision.

## Other reports on N4696G (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19981108031849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981108031849A), Nov 8, 1998: Cessna 172N (N4696G), Lima, SC, Destroyed. Pilot came on the frequency and advised that the acft had crashed into trees. (-23) pilot flew into IMC conditions while following interstate between mountains…
- [Incident 19960826030379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960826030379I), Aug 26, 1996: Cessna 172N (N4696G), Danville, WV, Minor damage. Narrative: while enroute from clarksburg, WV to hendersonville, NC Cessna N4696G piloted by charles folkart, experienced engine failure and was forced to land…

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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