# Accident 19980817021099A: Cessna 172N, Chandler, AZ, August 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 17, 1998, 12:05 local time - Place: Chandler, AZ - Airport: Chandler Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.3207° N, 111.8193° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3207&lon=-111.8193&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5233D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5233D-2012-09-12) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 73 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA269) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980817021099A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN DESERT TERRAIN 1 MILE SOUTH OF STELLAR AIRPARK, ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED. (.4) THE PILOT TOLD THE TOWER THAT SHE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. SHE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SHOOK AND STARTED LOSING ALTITUDE, THEN SEEMED TO START BACK UP BEFORE QUITTING COMPLETELY. THE PILOT LANDED IN THE DESERT TERRAIN AND THE NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE RIPPED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THAT THE FUEL LINES AND BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT AND THERE WAS NO FUEL VISIBLE IN EITHER TANK. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE CONDUCTED AN ENGINE RUN AFTER ADDING APPROXIMATELY 1 GALLON OF FUEL AND MAKING NO OTHER ADJUSTMENTS. THE ENGINE STARTED ON THE FIRST TRY AND RAN SMOOTHLY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES WITH NO ABNORMAL SOUNDS OR INDICATIONS NOTED. ON THE FLIGHT FROM TUCSON TO LAS VEGAS, 40.7 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE ADDED TO THE AIRCRAFT TANKS FOLLOWING LANDING AT NORTH LAS VEGAS. THE FUEL SYSTEM HOLDS 43 TOTAL GALLONS, OF WHICH 40.7 ARE USABLE. (-23) ON AUGUST 17, 1998 A CESSNA 172N, N5233D ENROUTE FROM NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT TO AVRA VALLEY (E-14) DIVERTED TO CHANDLER MUNICIPAL (P-10) DUE TO LOW FUEL. WHILE ENROUTE PILOT REPORTED AIRCRAFT STARTED SHAKING THEN IT STOPPED THEN STARTED SHAKING AGAIN, PILOT THEN RADIOED CHANDLER TOWER TO INFORM THEM SHE WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS, CHANDLER TOWER THEN TRIED TO DIVERT HER TO STELLAR AIRPARK, PILOT REPORTED THE PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING AND SHE MADE AN EMERGENY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING HER LANDING ROLL OUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A CONCRETE IRRIGATION DITCH. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, PILOT AND PASSENGERS ESCAPED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. ## 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 LAX98LA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA269), Aug 17, 1998: Cessna 172N (N5233D), Chandler, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and in-flight monitoring of the aircraft's fuel consumption. ## Other reports on N5233D (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19850117002829I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850117002829I), Jan 17, 1985: Cessna 172N (N5233D), Fresno, CA. Landed long and ran off end of runway. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.