# NTSB NYC01LA080: Cessna 172I, N46115, Suffolk, VA, February 25, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 25, 2001, 03:30 local (08:30 UTC) - Place: Suffolk, VA - Coordinates: 36.87928, -76.550292 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8793&lon=-76.5503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-21 - NTSB case key (mKey): 51830 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA080 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51830/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA080 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and his failure to refuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. ## Analysis After a 4 hour cross county flight, about 5 miles north-northwest of the destination airport, the pilot reported the airplane "ran out of gas" and had lost engine power. During a forced landing to a road, the airplane struck a vehicle and stop sign. The pilot stated he encountered "a little more headwind then was predicated;" however, he felt enough fuel remained in the airplane to reach his destination. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were "dry." The pilot obtained his private pilot license in December of 2000, and had accumulated about 100 hours of total flight experience. ## Factual narrative On February 25, 2001, about 0330 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 172I, N46115, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Suffolk, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (ISP), Islip, New York, about 2340, and was destined for the Hampton Roads Airport (PVG), Portsmouth, Virginia. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane was about 5 miles north-northwest of PVG, and communicating with Norfolk Air Traffic Control, when the pilot reported the airport in site, and cancelled his VFR flight plan. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported the airplane "ran out of gas" and had lost engine power. During a forced landing to a road, the airplane struck a vehicle and stop sign. In a written statement, the pilot stated he encountered "a little more headwind then was predicated." When the airplane was south of Salisbury, Maryland, the left fuel gauge read "E", and the right fuel gauge read "just about 1/2." The pilot said that he felt enough fuel remained in the airplane to reach PVG. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were "dry." The pilot obtained his private pilot license in December of 2000, and had accumulated about 100 hours of total flight experience. ## 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) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - vehicle ## Aircraft - Registration: [N46115](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N46115), registered now, S/N 17257049, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172I - Registry model: [Cessna 172I](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172i) (registry code 2072426) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17257049 - Airframe hours: 6683 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aviation Mega Bucks Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 4, 2001, 100 hours before - Departed: ISP, Islip, NY - Destination: PVG, Portsmouth, VA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PVG, Hampton Roads ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review December 13, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 107 total, 107 in this make and model, 46 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.35 inHg - Observed at: cpk, 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 20010225039419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010225039419A), Feb 25, 2001: Cessna 172I, Suffolk, VA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that he ran out of fuel. On scene investigation found no usable fuel on board the aircraft. Further investigation indicated that the total… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.