Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamlin, Texas 79520
Thursday, November 26, 1992 10:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR IN FLIGHT, HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM BOTH TO THE LEFT TANK. DURING DESCENT INTO HIS DESTINATION AREA, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO SWITCH TANKS AND HAD RUN THE LEFT TANK DRY. HE SAID THAT HE CONCENTRATED ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND DID NOT ATTEMPT TO SWITCH TANKS AND RESTART THE ENGINE. HE SELECTED A COTTON FIELD AS A FORCED LANDING AREA; HOWEVER, HE OVERSHOT AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN A MESQUITE THICKET. AFTER ROLLING THROUGH THE THICKET, THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A FOUR FOOT DEEP STOCK POND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM THE PRESCRIBED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE FUEL STARVATION INDUCED ENGINE FAILURE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HAMLIN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79520
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID ABI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 Minor
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 620
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 27 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7124A
NTSB Number FTW93LA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 29224
Certified Max Gross Weight 2075
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 Nov 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 1852
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KLEPPER, DAVID L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 1413
Aircraft Owner City ROCKWALL
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KLEPPER, DAVID L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 1413
Operator City ROCKWALL
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75087
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 1F7
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 655
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 56F
Destination City ROTAN
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --