Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901
Sunday, August 8, 1999 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that the airplane was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet above ground level when he observed the fuel gauges indicating 'EMPTY.' The airplane was 3 miles from the airport when the engine 'sputtered' and lost power. During the ensuing forced landing to an open field, the airplane contacted a power line and came to rest nose down in the field. The pilot stated that the airplane 'ran out of fuel.' The examination of the airplane inspector revealed no fuel in either of the two wing fuel tanks, and no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOT SPRINGS
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71901
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID HOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 855
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N737JP
NTSB Number FTW99LA213
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 17269455
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jul 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 3126
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHERN ARKANSAS AERO CENTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 212 ARIPORT 980
Aircraft Owner City MAGNOLIA
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71753
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JIM JAMISON
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 3M0
Departure City LAKEVIEW
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HOT
Destination City
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --