# NTSB DEN99LA166: Cessna 172G, N4262L, Delta, CO, September 19, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 1999, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Delta, CO - Coordinates: 38.740909, -108.069343 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7409&lon=-108.0693&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 22, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47418 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47418/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA166 ## Probable cause A forced landing due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were inadequate preflight planing, inadequate in-flight planing and rough uneven, unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Analysis The pilot was completing a 'round robin' cross-country flight during which he did not refuel the aircraft at his intermediate stop or at any of several available airports along his return route. The aircraft suffered fuel exhaustion while on short final to land at his destination airport. An emergency landing was conducted on rough, uneven, unsuitable terrain. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 1999, at 1400 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4262L, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing approximately 500 feet short of runway 3 at Blake Field, Delta, Colorado. The private certificated non-instrument rated pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal cross-country flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Page, Arizona, at 1150. The flight was from Delta to Page and return. The pilot said the engine lost all power during approach, when he was approximately 500 feet from the end of the runway at his destination. He said he made an emergency landing and the aircraft main landing gear struck the top of a small hill during initial touchdown. The aircraft pitched down and traveled airborne for approximately 75 feet. The nose struck the ground and the aircraft nosed over and traveled another 30 feet in the air before impacting the ground, traveling backward inverted. The aircraft then slid another 20 feet and came to rest. According to the pilot, fuel exhaustion may have occurred. The pilot had flown the trip without refueling the aircraft at Page. The straight-line distance between Page and Delta is approximately 200 miles. The pilot said he left Page with approximately 20 gallons of fuel aboard the aircraft, which has a total capacity of 39 gallons, with one gallon being unusable. In his narrative, the pilot said he was cruising at 9,500 feet above mean sea level (msl). Aircraft cruise and range performance charts for 10,000 feet vary from 128 miles per hour true airspeed at a fuel flow of 7.7 gallons per hour down to 96 miles per hour true airspeed at 5.2 gallons per hour depending on the engine speed used. The aircraft was airborne approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, which at the high fuel consumption would give a fuel usage of about 17 gallons. This would leave approximately 3 gallons of fuel remaining at the destination if the 20 gallons, which the pilot said was aboard when he left Page, was an accurate estimate. A review of route information from Page to Delta, provided by the pilot in his narrative, showed several airports along the route that sold aviation gasoline. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4262L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4262L-2001-04-10), registration cancelled 2001-04-10, S/N 17254331 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172G - Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17254331 - Airframe hours: 3364 - Engines: Continental O-300D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard H. & Susan J. Reisman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 8, 1999, 15 hours before - Departed: PGA, PAGE, AZ - Destination: 1V9 - Airport: 1V9, Delta-Blake, runway 3, 4,578 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 179 total, 155 in this make and model, 133 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 22 knots, gusting 29 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GJT, 30 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990919026879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990919026879A), Sep 19, 1999: Cessna 172G, Delta, CO, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 19, 1999, at 1400 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4262L, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing approximately 500 feet… ## Other investigations on N4262L (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 FTW96LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA115), Feb 9, 1996: Cessna 172G (N4262L), Gunnison, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor. 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. --- 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.