- Date
- September 11, 1994, 13:02 local (20:02 UTC)
- Place
- Corona, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4328LCessna 172G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940911026149A
- Case key
- 28856
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 poor preflight planning/preparation and fuel consumption calculations. Fuel exhaustion and the rough terrain were factors in this accident.
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.
Analysis
In a post accident telephone interview the pilot reported that the airplane 'ran out of fuel.' Before departure the pilot said he requested the fixed base operator to put 10 gallons of gas in the airplane fuel tanks. After the fueling, the right fuel gauge indicated full and the left fuel gauge indicated 3/4 full. He did not visually check the fuel tank level before departing on the accident flight. He also said that he observed some minor fuel stains on the left wing fuel tank sump drain.
Factual narrative
On September 11, 1994, at 1302 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4328L, collided with the terrain and nosed over about 2 miles east of Corona Airport, Corona, California, during an emergency landing. The emergency landing resulted from a total loss of engine power while on final approach to runway 25. The pilot was completing a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, operated by PDZ Aviation, Corona Airport, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries; his passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Bullhead City-Laughlin Airport, Bullhead City, Arizona, at 1100 hours.
The pilot told National Transportation Safety Board investigators in a telephone interview conducted on September 12, 1994, that the airplane "ran out of fuel." He said he departed Corona Airport for Bullhead City-Laughlin Airport on September 10, 1994.
Before departing Bullhead City-Laughlin Airport, he requested the fixed base operator to put 10 gallons of gas in the airplane fuel tanks. After the fueling, the right fuel gauge indicated full and the left fuel gauge indicated 3/4 full. He did not visually check the fuel tanks before departing on the accident flight. He also said that he observed some minor fuel stains on the left wing fuel tank sump drain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4328L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254397
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pdz Aviation
- Registered owner
- William B. Buries
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- P06 · Bullhead City, AZ
- Airport
- L66 · Corona Municipal, runway 25, 3,200 × 60 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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 71 total · 23 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.