Cessna 172 N1419Y

Summary

On 15 February 1997 at about 18:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N1419Y was involved in an accident near Rogers, Arkansas, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 February 1997 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Rogers, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

36.3301, -94.1291

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N1419Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Paxton → Bentonville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA106

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's improper fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in the loss of engine power, due to fuel exhaustion. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he intended to perform a cross-country flight from Paxton, Illinois, to Longview, Texas, with a refueling stop at Bentonville, Arkansas. After 4 hours and 5 minutes of flight, the airplane, 'ran out of fuel over Rogers, Arkansas, approximately 8 miles from Bentonville.' Rogers airport was within gliding distance, but once the airplane got closer to the airport, the pilot did not think that the airplane would be able to 'clear the trees that paralleled the runway to the east so I chose a course to the north where a clearing was.' He then 'discovered the runway was built up on a hill which I could not distinguish from the air.' Rather than risk impacting the crest of the hill, he landed on the side of the hill running 'parallel to the horizontal run of the hill.' During the landing roll, as the airplane rounded the ridge at the west end of the hill, it impacted a drainage ditch. A fuel sample was taken at the accident site, and approximately 1/2 quart of fuel was drained from each fuel tank. According to the 1962 Cessna 172 owner's manual, the range with full fuel (39 useable gallons), at 7,000 feet and 75% power was 4 hours and 6 minutes, with no reserve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.