Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Potts Camp, Mississippi 38659
Friday, March 21, 2003 17:09 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that while en route to his fuel stop, about 5 minutes prior to the accident, while scanning the airplane instruments, he was surprised to see that the fuel gauges were indicating below the 5-gallon mark for each tank. After monitoring the gauges, and seeing them stabilize, he said he again started to feel confident in his calculations. About 14 miles south of Holly Springs, Mississippi, in the vicinity of Potts Camp, Mississippi, he said the engine ceased operating. He said he established the best glide speed, while looking for and selecting a field where he could execute a forced landing. As the airplane was descending he attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. After maneuvering to avoid wires, he landed the airplane in the field, and during the landing rollout the airplane's nose wheel became entangled in a wire fence, and the airplane was damaged. An FAA inspector responded to the accident scene, and noted that no fuel was present in the airplane. After recovery from the field, an FAA licensed airframe and power plant mechanic, under the supervision of the FAA inspector, conducted an examination of the airplane, and no anomalies were found. When fuel was provided, and the damaged propeller replaced, the airplane's engine was tested and it operated normally.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a forced landing to a field, and damage to the airplane during the landing rollout.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/21/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1709 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Potts Camp |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38659 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 343800N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0891800W |
| 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 | 1700 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OLV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 401 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15563 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ATL Comm. Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 22 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Jackson, Mississippi |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N89811 |
| NTSB Number | MIA03LA078 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172-76013 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 30 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 49 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Pensacola Navy Flying Club Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 15519 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pensacola |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32514 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | PNS |
| Departure City | Pensacola |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1435 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | M42 |
| Destination City | Holly Springs |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2004 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |