- Date
- December 3, 1988, 17:52 local (23:52 UTC)
- Place
- Plano, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7917XCessna 172B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881203053929A
- Case key
- 22818
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
Fuel exhaustion which resulted from the pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations and his failure to utilize numerous suitable sources of fuel along his route of flight.
Analysis
The plt was on a multiple leg x-country flt & landed at an alternate arpt to add 'a little extra fuel.' Due to locked pumps, fuel was not available, so he elected to fly to a nearby arpt. However, shortly after lift-off, the eng lost power. During an emergency landing in an open field, the nose gear failed & the acft nosed over. The plt stated that the fuel gauges indicated the tanks were about 1/8 full, but during a post-acdnt exam, only about 3 cups of fuel was drained from the tanks. The eng ran normally during a post-acdnt test.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7917X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17248417
- Airframe hours
- 4,455
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- J&J Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Horton, Laine A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 14, 1988 · 96 hours before
- Departed
- F69
- Destination
- ADS · Addison, TX
- Airport
- F69 · Dallas Air Park, runway 16, 3,000 × ft, asphalt
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 580 in this make and model · 540 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAL, 15 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.