Cessna 172F N8646U

Summary

On 30 May 2014 at about 22:00 local time, a Cessna 172F registered N8646U was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 May 2014 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Fairbanks International Airpor (PAFA)

Coordinates

64.8108, -147.7207

Aircraft

Cessna 172F

Registration

N8646U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA033

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper inflight planning, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power. A factor was the pilot's selection of a low cruise flight altitude, which provided little time for the selection of suitable terrain for the forced landing or for engine restart procedures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, while flying north over a river at 200 feet above ground level, the airplane ran out of fuel in the left tank. The engine lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing on flat terrain with tussocks and spruce trees. The airplane subsequently struck a stand of spruce trees, sustaining substantial damage to the wings, the fuselage, and other structures. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.