# NTSB FTW94LA284: Cessna 152, N44687, Arkadelphia, AR, August 29, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 29, 1994, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Arkadelphia, AR - Coordinates: 34.119754, -93.070755 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1198&lon=-93.0708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19150 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA284 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19150/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA284 ## Probable cause LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis A PRIVATE PILOT FLEW FOR THREE HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT WAS PLANNED TO BE FIVE HOURS IN DURATION. AFTER LOSING ENGINE POWER, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ONTO A LAKE SPILLWAY BUT OVERSHOT HIS INTENDED POINT OF LANDING. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST TWENTY FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN TREES. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF USABLE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME SINCE REFUELING WAS 7.6 HOURS. THE MANUFACTURERS FUEL CONSUMPTION DATA INDICATES THAT AT 55% POWER SETTING, ENDURANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 7.6 HOURS. ## Factual narrative On August 29, 1994, at 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N44687, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records the pilot's route of flight was from Arkadelphia Municipal Airport (M89), to Texarkana Regional-Webb Field (TXK), to Memorial Field (HOT), in Hot Springs, AR, and returning to Arkadelphia Municipal Airport. The pilot reported that when he preflighted the airplane at Arkadelphia, "all systems were normal", and the "gauges reflected full fuel tanks." Upon completing his planned route of flight to Arkadelphia, he decided to tour Lake DeGray at 1400 feet MSL. As he started to depart the lake area, the engine RPM dropped and then went back to normal. Then the engine "started to sputter" and the RPM dropped again but did not return to normal. The mixture was checked, the throttle was increased, but these actions were ineffective, and the engine lost power. At this point the engine was running but the airplane could not sustain flight. While maneuvering to land, the pilot "spotted a spillway and turned left to intercept." He then added 10 degrees of flaps, and realized that he was too high and too close to a rock wall to make a landing on the spillway. As the pilot turned left to make the approach from the opposite direction, the engine "quit completely in the turn." The airplane then collided with trees and came to rest 20 feet above the ground. Fueling records for N44687 revealed that the airplane was last refueled at 1540 on August 25, 1994. Since that refueling, the airplane logged 7.6 hours of time on the Hobbs meter. 4.1 hours of that Hobbs time was logged on August 26, 1994, and 3.5 hours (accident flight) was logged on August 29, 1994. There is no record of the airplane flying on the 27th or 28th of August and no record of refueling since August 25, 1994. The aircraft was configured to hold 37.5 gallons of usable fuel. Cessna manufacturer's data states that, for 37.5 gallons of usable fuel at 55% power setting, this airplane has an endurance of approximately 7.6 hours. Examination of the airplane wreckage at the accident site revealed that the left tank fuel supply line was broken due to impact damage and showed no evidence of fuel. The right fuel tank supply line was intact and had fuel in the line. However; there was no evidence of usable fuel in either the left or the right fuel tanks. The empennage and wings were structurally damaged, but there was no evidence of fuel spillage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N44687](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44687-1997-02-20), registration cancelled 1997-02-20, S/N 15285674 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15285674 - Airframe hours: 4811 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-N2C 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Henderson State University, doing business as Aviation Department - Registered owner: Christianson Aircraft - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 11, 1994, 10 hours before - Destination: AR - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 102 total, 84 in this make and model, 77 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 6 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HOT, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940829024009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940829024009A), Aug 29, 1994: Cessna 152, Arkadelphia, AR, Substantial damage. Lost power en route. Overshot landing area into trees. Fuel tanks were empty. ## Other investigations on N44687 (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 ATL86LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL86LA036), Dec 6, 1985: Cessna 152 (N44687), Hickory, NC, substantial damage 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.