Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blanchard, Louisiana 71107
Monday, September 18, 2000 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 39-hour student pilot was making a non-endorsed night solo cross-country flight. During the return flight, the pilot 'went further south than had planned', became 'lost' and was radar vectored to his destination. Approximately 10 miles north of the destination airport, at 2,000 feet agl, 3 hours and 35 minutes into the flight, the engine started 'sputtering and quit.' Due to darkness, the pilot could not find a suitable landing area, and subsequently, the airplane impacted trees approximately 10 miles northwest of the airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were empty, and the fuel selector valve was in the ON position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to refuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Factors were the dark night light conditions and lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 5
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BLANCHARD
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71107
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 29 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID SHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 179
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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) 10070
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6107Q
NTSB Number FTW00LA260
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285132
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 1750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLENN ADAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5059 DIXIE GARDEN
Aircraft Owner City SHREVEPORT
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71105
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROYAL AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1550 AIRPORT DRIVE
Operator City SHREVEPORT
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 71107
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AXS
Departure City ALTUS
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTN
Destination City SHREVEPORT
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2001 10:19AM
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 --