Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Niles, Michigan 49120
Saturday, July 29, 1995 12:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS OF FLIGHT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SUPPLY WAS EXHAUSTED. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE CHECKED THE AIRCRAFT FUEL QUANTITY BEFORE TAKEOFF BY INSERTING HIS FINGER INTO EACH TANK FILLER NECK. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT HE HAD CRUISED THE ENTIRE FLIGHT AT 2500 TO 3500 FEET ALTITUDE WITH THE ENGINE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE FULL RICH POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to ensure an adequate supply of fuel was aboard the aircraft during preflight planning and his failure to lean the engine mixture during cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NILES
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49120
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1230 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 23000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2107
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7295A
NTSB Number CHI95LA248
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 29395
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 2420
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VINTAGE AIRCRAFT LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 146
Aircraft Owner City CAROLINE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54928
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CLI
Departure City CLINTONVILLE
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 825
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SBN
Destination City SOUTH BEND
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --