Hot Springs Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901
Tuesady, March 8, 2005 17:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After a cross-country flight, the single-engine airplane, piloted by a 40,000-hour pilot, impacted heavily wooded terrain about 1/4 miles short of the approach end of a municipal airport runway. Earlier in the day, the airplane had departed from a private airstrip with approximately 15 gallons of fuel on board. A person, who was in the vicinity of the accident site, witnessed an airplane flying toward the airport about 100 feet agl, and that the "engine was not running." He watched the airplane fly over a tree line and disappear, but he did not hear any kind of impact noise. No radio transmissions were heard from the accident airplane. There was a report by a friend of the pilot that the radio in the airplane was inoperative. Examination of the airframe and engine at the accident site did not reveal any mechanical pre-impact anomalies. The fuel tanks in both wings were not breached. The airplane was leveled, and approximately 1.5 gallons of clear automotive gasoline was drained from the airplane's fuel tanks. There did not appear to be an odor of fuel present when the investigation team first examined the wreckage. The wing-mounted, vented fuel caps were found secured. When the fuel level transmitter from each fuel tank was removed, the float arms for each moved smoothly, and were not restricted. Power was applied to the aircraft and each transmitter float moved through their full range of motion, and valid indications were observed on both fuel level gauges. The fuel selector handle was found in the "Both" position. The fuel screen was removed and found to be clean and clear of debris. According to manufacturer's documentation, the total fuel capacity of the airplane was 39 gallons (both tanks), of which, 3.0 gallons are not usable (1.5 gallons per tank). The total fuel found on-board at the accident site was approximately 1.5 gallons. Total flight time, from when the pilot last refueled the airplane with 15 gallons, could not be determined. Examination of the wrecakge showed that the basic shape and volume of the cabin was not altered during the crash. The pilot's seat was found intact with the exception of the forward inboard roller assembly, which remained attached to the seat rail within the cabin. The pilot's lap belt was found intact. Shoulder harnesses were not installed, and by FAA regulations, they were not required to be installed in the 1965 year model airplane. The pilot sustained head and chest injuries during the impact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to refuel resulting in fuel starvation. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing, and a shoulder harness restraint system was not installed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/8/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Hot Springs
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71901
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342901N
Event Location Longitude 0930409W
Event Location Airport Hot Springs Memorial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 540
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
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) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) 390
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17942
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8382U
NTSB Number DFW05FA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17252282
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 Dec 16 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 159.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James H. Williams
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31 Justin's Trail
Aircraft Owner City Caddo Gap
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71935
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 NONE
Departure City Sherrill
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HOT
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 9 2005 6:42PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 6595
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --