# Accident 19971216039019A: Cessna 172N, Mckinney, TX, December 16, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 1997, 01:00 local time
- Place: Mckinney, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1808° N, 96.5890° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1808&lon=-96.5890&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1371E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1371E-1999-08-28) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,870 total, 350 in this make and model, 51 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA069) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971216039019A

## Narrative

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

ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EMER LANDING FOR UNK REASONS STRUCK A TREE AND CRASHED, MCKINNEY, TX. (-23) AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING ON COUNTY ROAD 470 APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE EAST OF FM1827. RH WING STRUCK LARGE TREES. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 180 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT OF TREES. AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED, TURNED APPROXIMATELY 135 DEGREE FROM EMERGENCY LANDING DIRECTION. NO FIRE. NO INDICATION OF FUEL.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (.4)A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED DURING THE FINAL DESCENT TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. FLUCTUATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT PLANNED THE CRUISE FLIGHT AT 75 PERCENT POWER AND LEANED THE MIXTURE BY USING THE EGT GAUGE. A PASSENGER REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT 'RAN OUT OF FUEL.' THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE COMPANY MECHANIC HAD INFORMED THE PILOT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD RUN LEAN AND THAT FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE AIRPLANE VARIED FROM 8 GPH TO 12 GPH. THE TOTAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TIME WAS CALCULATED AT 5 HOURS AND 11 TO 19 MINUTES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE ENDURANCE AT 75 PERCENT CRUISE POWER IS APPROXIMATELY 5 HRS 24 MINUTES. NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED ENGINE PRODUCING POWER. TESTING OF THE FUEL SENDING UNITS REVEALED INACCURACY OF THE COCKPIT FUEL GAUGE READINGS.

## 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 FTW98LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA069), Dec 16, 1997: Cessna 172N (N1371E), Mckinney, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight/planning decision which resulted in continued flight until fuel exhaustion. Related factors were incorrect fuel gauge readings and trees.

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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