- Date
- November 1, 1997, 18:33 local (Nov 2, 1997, 02:33 UTC)
- Place
- Eugene, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5190BCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971101043669A
- Case key
- 42749
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 failure to refuel which subsequently led to fuel exhaustion.
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
The pilot reported to the operator that the engine experienced a loss of power during the return leg of a cross-country flight. A forced landing was made on an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a fence. Inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that the left fuel tank was empty, and no fuel was produced when sumped. The right fuel tank contained approximately 1/8 of an inch of fuel, and produced approximately eight ounces of fuel when sumped. No fuel was added during the course of the cross-country flight.
Factual narrative
On November 1, 1997, at 1833 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N5190B, operated by Aerial Communications of America as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a fence during a forced landing in a field located 14 miles northwest of Eugene, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Eugene at about 1400 and was destined for Elma, Washington. The flight was returning from Elma to Eugene, when the accident occurred.
The pilot reported to the operator that the engine experienced a loss of power. A forced landing was made on an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a fence.
Personnel from the airport, who helped recover the aircraft, reported that the tachometer indicated that 4.0 hours had been accumulated, and the Hobbs meter indicated that a total of 4.4 hours had been accumulated for the flight. The fuel tanks and sumps were inspected to determine the quantity of fuel remaining in the tanks. It was reported that there was no visible sign of fuel in the left fuel tank, and no fuel was produced when sumped. The right fuel tank contained approximately 1/8 of an inch of fuel, and produced approximately eight ounces of fuel when sumped. The engine sump produced approximately 14 ounces of fuel.
Fueling records indicate that the aircraft was last fueled on October 31, 1997.
The structural damage was not reported to the National Transportation Safety Board until January 27, 1998.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5190B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283798
- Airframe hours
- 6,884
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Aerial Comm. Of America
- Registered owner
- Chucks Service Center
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 11, 1997 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- WA22 · Elma, WA
- Destination
- EUG · OR
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 95 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5190B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.