# Accident 19990923026969A: Cessna 172F, Galena, AK, September 23, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 23, 1999, 22:05 local time - Place: Galena, AK - Airport: Galena - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 64.7391° N, 156.8492° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.7391&lon=-156.8492&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5309R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5309R-2003-06-19) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172F (registry code 2072414, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F - Reported engine: CONT O300D - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 500 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA151) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990923026969A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1999, AT 2205 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N5309R, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT THREE NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF THE EDWARD G. PITKA, SR. AIRPORT, GALENA, ALASKA, AT 64 DEGREES 44.17 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE, 156 DEGREES 56.24 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE REMAINING PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY ARCTIC CAMPS AND EQUIPMENT, OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD IN ANCHORAGE ABOUT 1745 FOR GALENA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT CONTACTED THE FAIRBANKS FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) AT 2155 AND CLOSED HIS FLIGHT PLAN, STATING TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE SPECIALIST THAT THE GALENA AIRPORT WAS IN SIGHT. HE THEN COMMUNICATED ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) WITH THE PILOT OF AN AIRPLANE DEPARTING RUNWAY 25. THE PILOT OF THE DEPARTING AIRPLANE TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 24, THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT TRANSMITTED HE W AS "FIVE MILES OUT FOR LANDING." THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY "I'M THREE MILES OUT, JUST RAN OUT OF FUEL AT 1,000 FEET, AND AM GOING TO TRY TO LAND ON A ROAD." THE PILOT TOLD THE IIC, DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 24, THAT HE DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD WITH A FULL FUEL LOAD OF 39 GALLONS (38 GALLONS ARE USABLE). HE SAID HE FLEW TO THE NEW WASILLA AIRPORT, WASILLA, ALASKA, AND PICKED UP HIS TWO PASSENGERS. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN FLEW TO RAINY PASS AND PUNTILLA LAKES, ALASKA, AND FOUND RAINY PASS WAS CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER. HE THEN FLEW THROUGH PTARMIGAN PASS, TO FAREWELL, ALASKA, AND ON TO GALENA. HE DESCRIBED CLOSING HIS FLIGHT PLAN WHEN FIVE MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, AND SAID THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF GAS THREE MILES FROM THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A CLOSED AIRSTRIP, BUT IT WAS DARK, AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN THE TREES. THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT LASTED FOUR HOURS THIRTY-SEVEN MINUTES. (-23)NTSB#ANC99LA151 PILOT DEPARTED MERRIL FIELD, AK. WITH CESSNA 172. FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED FLT WAS PLANNED FOR A STOP IN WASILLA THEN ON TO GALENA, ALASKA. PILOT HAD TO USE PTARMIGAN PASS, RAINY PASS WAS CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER. HE CONTACTED FAI(FSS) CLOSED HIS FLIGHT PLANE AT 2155. THREE MILES FROM THE AIRPORT HE STATED ON CTAF, HE RAN OUT OF GAS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. FLT TIME WAS 4 HR 37 MIN. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1999, AT 2205 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N5309R, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT THREE NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF THE EDWARD G. PITKA, SR. AIRPORT, GALENA, ALASKA, AT 64 DEGREES 44.17 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE, 156 DEGREES 56.24 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE REMAINING PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY ARCTIC CAMPS AND EQUIPMENT, OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD IN ANCHORAGE ABOUT 1745 FOR GALENA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, A ND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT CONTACTED THE FAIRBANKS FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) AT 2155 AND CLOSED HIS FLIGHT PLAN, STATING TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE SPECIALIST THAT THE GALENA AIRPORT WAS IN SIGHT. HE THEN COMMUNICATED ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) WITH THE PILOT OF AN AIRPLANE DEPARTING RUNWAY 25. THE PILOT OF THE DEPARTING AIRPLANE TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 24, THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT TRANSMITTED HE WAS "FIVE MILES OUT FOR LANDING." THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY "I'M THREE MILES OUT, JUST RAN OUT OF FUEL AT 1,000 FEET, AND AM GOING TO TRY TO LAND ON A ROAD OR THE CLOSED AIRSTRIP." THE PILOT TOLD THE IIC, DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 24, THAT HE THOUGHT HE DEPARTED WITH A FULL FUEL LOAD OF 39 GALLONS (38 GALLONS USABLE), BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CONFIRM THE TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF AFTER THE LINEMAN FROM A FIXED BASE OPERATOR FILLED THE AIRPLANE'S TANKS. HE SAID HE FLEW TO THE NEW WASILLA AIRPORT, WASILLA, ALASKA, AND PICKED UP HIS TWO PASSENGERS. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN FLEW TO RAINY PASS AND PUNTILLA LAKES, ALASKA, AND FOUND RAINY PASS WAS CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER. HE REROUTED THROUGH PTARMIGAN PASS, TO FAREWELL, ALASKA, AND ON TO GALENA. HE DESCRIBED CLOSING HIS FLIGHT PLAN WHEN FIVE MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, AND SAID THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF GAS THREE MILES FROM THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A CLOSED AIRSTRIP, BUT IT WAS DARK, AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN THE TREES. THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT LASTED 4 HOURS 37 MINUTES. THE CRUISE PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR A CESSNA 172 WITH AN O-300 ENGINE PREDICT FUEL CONSUMPTION AT 2,400 RPM BETWEEN 8.1 AND 9.2 GALLONS PER HOUR. ## 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 ANC99LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA151), Sep 24, 1999: Cessna 172 (N5309R), Galena, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to refuel, and the resulting fuel exhaustion. A factor was the dark night which hampered location of a nearby closed, and unlit, airstrip. 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.