Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Temple Bar, Arizona 86443
Monday, October 13, 1997 8:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed for a flight after adding approximately 8 gallons of automotive fuel to the aircraft. He said he performed a 'stick test,' and each tank showed approximately 10 gallons of fuel. The pilot stated that while maneuvering, approximately 800 feet above the terrain, the engine suddenly quit, when he banked into a left turn. He said the engine sputtered during the descent, but power was not restored. Also, he told investigator's that the engine acted like it was out of fuel. During a postaccident investigation, only 3 gallons of fuel was found in the fuel system. Additionally, the mixture control was found to have been pulled out about 1 inch from the panel, and the spark plugs were found to have burned very lean. The Cessna Owner's Manual stated there was 1.75 gallons of unusable fuel in each standard tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: the terrain condition (ditch) in the emergency landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 855
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TEMPLE BAR
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86443
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1235 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 164
Weather Observation Facility ID SGU
Elevation of weather observation facility 2941
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1264
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71VL
NTSB Number LAX98LA016
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 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15072266
Certified Max Gross Weight 1936
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 12 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 250
Airframe Hours 5420
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J. V. LEONIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 470 E. 1100 S. APT 1
Aircraft Owner City ST. GEORGE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84790
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BLAIR C. PETERSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 500 N. 260 WEST
Operator City VEYO
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84782
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 SGU
Departure City ST GEORGE
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 655
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --