# NTSB FTW04LA026: Cessna 172N, N739YK, La Grange, TX, November 21, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 21, 2003, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: La Grange, TX - Coordinates: 29.913333, -96.949996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9133&lon=-96.9500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58373 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58373/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA026 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to properly navigate during the day VFR cross-country flight, which resulted in the pilot becoming disoriented. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, cruise - vfr procedures - improper, pilot in command (cause) - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - precautionary landing - initiated, pilot in command - fluid,fuel - low level - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - ditch - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - fence ## Analysis While in cruise flight during a day VFR cross-country, the pilot became disoriented and executed a precautionary landing to an open field. According to the pilot, he received a weather briefing from FSS prior to his 3 hour and 50 minute cross-country flight. The FSS briefer informed the pilot he would experience a headwind during the entire route of flight. While attempting to navigate via VORs, the pilot became lost, and the airplane was low on fuel. Unable to locate an airport, the pilot executed a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch and a fence. ## Factual narrative On November 21, 2003, approximately 1530 central standard time, a Cessna 172N single-engine airplane, N739YK, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing to a field near La Grange, Texas. The commercial pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated by Voyager Air Center, of Denison, Texas, and registered to a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed the Grayson County Airport (GYI), near Denison, Texas, approximately 1130, and was destined for the New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ), New Braunfels, Texas. Prior to the flight, the 3,200-hour pilot received a weather briefing from the flight service station (FSS). The FSS briefer informed the pilot that the airplane would experience a headwind of approximately 35-40 knots for the duration of the flight. According to the flight plan filed by the pilot, the planned route of flight was GYI to Lampasas (LZZ) to BAZ with an estimated time enroute of 3 hours and 50 minutes. While in cruise flight, the pilot attempted to navigate via VHF Omni-directional Ranges (VORs); however, he became disoriented. The airplane began to get low on fuel, and the pilot was unsuccessful in locating a small airport to obtain fuel. Due to the low fuel indication on the cockpit gauges, the pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing to an open field. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch and a fence, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained damage to the engine firewall, propeller, nose landing gear, and windshield. The pilot reported to a Texas Department of Public Safety officer, the airplane was low on fuel. Local law enforcement officials stated the left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank contained some fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N739YK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N739YK-2017-05-22), registration cancelled 2017-05-22, S/N 17270911, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270911 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Voyager Air Center - Registered owner: D. A. Rinehart - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: GYI, Grayson County, TX - Destination: BAZ, New Braunfels, TX - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 85; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 1, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,200 total, 500 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 35 knots, gusting 40 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg ## 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 20031121035009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031121035009A), Nov 21, 2003: Cessna 172N, Lagrange, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot departed grayson county airport, Texas (gyi) on a VFR flight to new braunfels Texas (baz). Pilot opened his flight plan and proceeded uneventful… 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.