Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Thursday, September 7, 1995 16:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and passenger departed on a cross-country flight with less than full fuel in the airplane. The airplane had a fuel capacity of 42 gallons with 4 gallons being unusable. The pilot estimated that the airplane had 30 to 32 gallons of fuel when he departed. The airplane's Lycoming O-320 engine had been replaced with a (larger) Lycoming O-360 engine. The pilot made one intermediate stop due to poor weather conditions. After departure toward the intended destination, the engine suddenly lost power. Efforts to restore power were not successful. The pilot made a forced landing into remote and rough terrain with the airplane coming to rest inverted. Total time of this flight was 2.3 hours. Total flight time since the airplane was refueled was 3.5 hours. Aircraft recovery personnel reported that no fuel was present in the airplane. A postaccident inspection of the airplane did not reveal any engine mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Improper planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, due to an inadequate supply of fuel. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone --
Event City GLENNALLEN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99588
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1626
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N737SP
NTSB Number ANC95LA160
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17269642
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 7284
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALASKA FLYING NETWORK INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 403 N. WILLOW #1
Aircraft Owner City KENAI
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ENA
Departure City KENAI
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GKN
Destination City GLENALLEN
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --