Cessna 172E N5682T

Summary

On 7 April 2000 at about 15:10 local time, a Cessna 172E registered N5682T was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. 2 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

7 April 2000 at 15:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.6596, -101.6809

Aircraft

Cessna 172E

Registration

N5682T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ennis → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW00LA119

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel selector which resulted in fuel starvation. Factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the fuel system due to an inadequate checkout by a flight instructor, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a daytime IFR cross-country flight in visual meteorological conditions, the approach controller at the destination airport cleared the airplane for a straight-in-approach to the runway. Subsequently, the pilot reported a loss of engine power and a forced landing. During the landing roll in a field, the nose gear collapsed in the soft dirt, and the airplane nosed over to the inverted position. The pilot reported that each time he moved the fuel selector from the 'BOTH' to the 'LEFT' position, the engine lost power. An FAA inspector interviewed the pilot and reported that 'it appeared the pilot may not have moved the selector completely to the detent for the left fuel tank. Operation of the CE-172-E with the fuel selector between detents may cause reduced fuel flow or completely stop fuel flow to the engine.' According to the inspector, during a ground/flight checkout in the airplane two days before the accident, the flight instructor 'did not cover the operation of the fuel selector in great detail because [the pilot] held a commercial pilot license.' The inspector examined the airplane and found fuel in the aircraft fuel tanks and no mechanical discrepancies with the fuel selector valve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.