# Accident 19981108040079A: Cessna 172M, Belen, NM, November 8, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 8, 1998, 13:30 local time
- Place: Belen, NM
- Airport: Alexander Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6502° N, 106.7692° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6502&lon=-106.7692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8883V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8883V) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,162 total, 270 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA019) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981108040079A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON NOVEMBER 8, 1998, AT 1330 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA CE-172M, N8883V, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AT ALEXANDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, BELEN, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJUIES AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM BONHAM, TEXAS, APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.  ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMANTION, THE PILOT STOPPED AT FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO, WHERE HE PLANNED TO PURCHASE FUEL.  THE PILOT RELATED THAT HE COULD NOT FIND A PERSON TO SELL HIM FUEL SO HE CONTINUED TOWARDS BELEN.  THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY OF INTENDED USE AND NOSED OVER.  LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAID THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) WHILE EN ROUTE TO BELEN, NEW MEXICO, THE PILOT LANDED AT FORT SUMNER WHERE HE PLANNED TO PURCHASE FUEL. HE WAS UNABLE TO FIND A LINE PERSON TO SELL HIM FUEL, SO FLEW TO BELEN WITHOUT REFUELING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS ACCIDENT REPORT: `[I] DEPARTED       FORT SUMNER THINKING I HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH BELEN. [I] DIDN'T MAKE IT.'THIS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SUPPPORTED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES, WHO CONFIRMED THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 8, 1998, AT 1330 MST, A CESSNA 172M, N8883V, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 21 AT THE ALEXANDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT JUST WEST OF BELEN, NM. THE FORCED LANDING RESULTED FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION ON A FLIGHT FROM FT. SUMNER, NM TO BELEN. THE OWNER/PILOT WAS THE ONLY SOUL ON BOARD.  HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHICH WERE TREATED AT A HOSPITAL IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM AFTER WHICH HE WAS RELEASED.

## 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 DEN99LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA019), Nov 8, 1998: Cessna 172M (N8883V), Belen, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, resulting in fuel supply exhaustion.

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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