Cessna 172 N5309R

Summary

On 24 September 1999 at about 06:05 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5309R was involved in an accident near Galena, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and 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

24 September 1999 at 06:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Galena, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

64.7391, -156.8492

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5309R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New Wasilla → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ANC99LA151

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to refuel, and the resulting fuel exhaustion. A factor was the dark night which hampered location of a nearby closed, and unlit, airstrip.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot closed his flight plan, stating that the airport was in sight. The pilot of a departing airplane told the NTSB investigator that the accident pilot transmitted he was 'five miles out for landing, followed by 'I'm three miles out, just ran out of fuel at 1,000 feet, and am going to try to land on a road or the closed airstrip.' The pilot said he was unable to reach the closed airstrip, it was dark, and the airplane landed in the trees. The pilot said he thought he departed with a full fuel load of 39 gallons (38 gallons usable), but did not visually confirm the tanks were topped off after the lineman from a Fixed Base Operator filled the airplane's tanks. He said the flight lasted 4 hours 37 minutes. The cruise performance charts for a Cessna 172 with an O-300 engine predict fuel consumption at 2,400 rpm between 8.1 and 9.2 gallons per hour.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.