Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601
Tuesady, October 11, 1988 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172 WAS RETURNING SOLO FROM ATLANTIC CITY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. HE LANDED IN A CORN FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE PLT SAID HE FUELED THE ACFT WITH 20 GALS OF FUEL BEFORE HIS FLT FROM HARRISBURG, PA TO ATLANTIC CITY. NO REFUELING WAS PERFORMED AT ATLANTIC CITY FOR THE RETURN FLT TO HANOVER, PA. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT, NOT IN CONNECTION WITH FLIGHT TRAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LANCASTER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17601
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1811
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38058
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9108B
NTSB Number NYC89LA011
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 36608
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Feb 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT ALAN REED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 520 NORTH STREET
Aircraft Owner City MCSHERRYSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17344
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT A. REED
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 520 NORTH STREET
Operator City MCSHERRYSTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17344
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
Departure City ATLANTIC CITY
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City HANOVER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --