Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Rockhill Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Rockhill, South Carolina 29732
Friday, August 8, 1997 14:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that they departed with 43 gallons of fuel, of which only 40 gallons were usable. Based upon the pilot's calculations the aircraft would require only approximately 30 gallons for the flight. Both pilots were still confident that they had enough fuel to reach the destination airport. Several miles north of the destination airport, the engine sputtered several times and quit. The pilot selected a nearby plowed field for a forced landing. During the fuel system examination, no fuel was recovered, nor was there fuel spillage in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The engine also functioned normally during the subsequent engine run.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to plan and have adequate fuel for the flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1455 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | ROCKHILL |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29732 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | ROCKHILL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 29J |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 270 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1450 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CLT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 667 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2100 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 810 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 11 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 600 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N66098 |
| NTSB Number | ATL97LA117 |
| 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 | 172P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172P |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172-75966 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2220 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 30 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 16 |
| Airframe Hours | 8371 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PROFLIGHT CENTER INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | BEAVER COUNTY AIRPORT |
| Aircraft Owner City | BEAVER FALLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15010 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | SCOTT S. FISHER |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5895 GLENHILL DRIVE |
| Operator City | BETHEL PARK |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 15102 |
| 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 | BVI |
| Departure City | BEAVER FALLS |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1120 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 29J |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | -- |