- Date
- July 5, 2018, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- King and Queen, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1401FCessna 172
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180705012609A
- Case key
- 97700
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 improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, about 3 hours en route, he realized that the airplane's fuel level was very low. He started to look for nearby airports to land, but the engine rpm dropped, and he realized the airplane was going to run out of fuel before making it to an alternate airport. He decided to land in a nearby field, but on final, the engine experienced a total power loss. Subsequently, during the off-airport landing, the airplane's nosewheel touched down first and broke off. The airplane then "teetered," and both wings struck the ground before the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that he departed with about 40 gallons of fuel. He added that he must have burned off more fuel during taxi and takeoff than he realized and, that if he had stopped for fuel earlier in the flight, the accident would not have happened. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, about 3 hours enroute, he realized the airplane's fuel level was very low. He started to look for nearby airports to land, but the engine rpm dropped and he realized the airplane was going to run out of fuel before making it to an alternate airport. He decided to land in a nearby field, but on final the engine experienced a total power loss. Subsequently, during the off-airport landing, the nosewheel of the airplane touched down first and broke off. The airplane then "teetered" with both wings striking the ground before the airplane came to rest. The pilot added that if he had stopped for fuel earlier in the flight the accident would not have happened. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that he departed with about 40 gallons of fuel. He also added that he must have burned off more fuel during taxi and take off. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1401F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254896
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,763
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 2017
- Departed
- SYM · Morehead, KY
- Destination
- MFV · Melfa, VA
- Equipment
- None
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 17, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 160 total · 145 in this make and model · 98 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KXSA, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 811 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.