ANC87LA056

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Nikolai, AK · March 30, 1987

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

Date: March 30, 1987, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
Place: Nikolai, AK
Injuries: 1 minor
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Approach
Aircraft: N67767Cessna 152
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed · report March 21, 1988
Report: Approved by Office Director
NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
FAA report: 19870330007869A
Case key: 4838

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - vfr pattern - final approach

Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause

Fuel supply - inadequatePilot in commandCause

Improper use of procedurePilot in commandFactor

In-flight planning/decision - misjudgedPilot in commandCause

Became lost/disoriented - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

Forced landingDescent - emergency

In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown

Analysis

The student pilot stated that he was on a solo cross country flight when he reported that he was lost and low on fuel. He attempted an emergency landing but crashed 200 feet short of the runway. The flight instructor stated that the aircraft was out of fuel at the time of the accident.

Aircraft

Registration: N67767
Reported as: Cessna 152
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 15282007
Airframe hours: 3,034
Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Operator: U.S. Army, doing business as Ft. Waywright Flying Club
Registered owner: Henry M. Hills
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: 100 hour · December 13, 1986 · 90 hours before
Departed: FBK · Fairbanks, AK
Destination: 5NI · Nikolian, AK
Flight plan: VFR

N67767Registration cancelled Mar 21, 1989 · Cessna 152S/N 15282007 Airframe modelCessna 152

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role: Pilot
Age: 38
Certificate: Student
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 53 total · 53 in this make and model · 36 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 100° at 7 knots
Visibility: 7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken
Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870330007869ACessna 152 · Nikolai, AKThe engine failed from fuel exhaustion. Student was lost and attempting to land, but did not make it to the runway.Mar 30, 1987 · N67767 · Substantial damage