Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rogers, Arkansas 72756
Saturday, February 15, 1997 12:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ROGERS
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72756
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 15 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1442
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1419Y
NTSB Number FTW97LA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
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 17249119
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 Feb 12 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 2400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EMMETT J. BEHERNS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 125 ARAPAHO LANE
Aircraft Owner City LODA
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60948
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 1C1
Departure City PAXTON
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VBT
Destination City BENTONVILLE
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --