- Date
- November 8, 1998, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Belen, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8883VCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981108040079A
- Case key
- 45256
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, resulting in fuel supply exhaustion.
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.
Analysis
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 supported by local authorities, who confirmed they found no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks.
Factual narrative
On November 8, 1998, approximately 1330 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172M, N8883V, sustained substantial damage after impacting terrain following a loss of engine power short of the runway at Alexander Municipal Airport, Belen, New Mexico. The private pilot received minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Bonham, Texas, approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, while en route to Belen, he landed at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, where he planned to purchase fuel. The pilot stated that he was unable to find a line person to sell him fuel, so he continued to Belen without refueling. While on final approach to Alexandrer Municipal Airport, the engine lost power and the aircraft landed short of the runway. Upon touchdown, the aircraft nosed over. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear, wings, vertical fin, and rudder.
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 supported by local authorities, who confirmed they found no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8883V
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17264242
- Airframe hours
- 4,994
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leland C. Spencer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1998 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- FSU · Fort Sumner, NM
- Destination
- E80
- Airport
- E80 · Alexander Municipal
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
- 76
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,162 total · 270 in this make and model · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 26 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.