NTSB Factual Report

On July 13, 2004, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N1453V, sustained minor damage during an in-flight collision with terrain following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, about 4 miles northwest of Aniak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Inland Aviation Services of Aniak as a visual flight rules (VFR) air taxi flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Holy Cross, Alaska, about 1610.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 13, the director of operations for the operator said when the airplane did not return from Holy Cross, an airplane was sent to look for it. He said the pilot of the search plane located the accident airplane on the tundra. The director of operations reported that the search pilot made radio contact with the pilot of the accident airplane who told him his engine had quit, necessitating an emergency landing.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on July 16, an FAA aviation safety inspector who went to the crash site said the accident airplane's fuel system was intact showing no signs of leakage or spills. No fuel was found in the right wing tank, about two gallons of fuel were found in the left wing tank, and about 1/4 cup of fuel was found in the fuel lines and carburetor. The Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) indicates there is about 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel in each wing tank. The FAA inspector said the fuselage sustained minor damage during the emergency landing.

The flight consisted of takeoff and landings at three airports, and a return to the departure airport, or four total takeoffs and landings. The total distance covered by the flight was about 165 miles. The operator's fuel log indicated the pilot added 13.9 gallons of fuel to the tanks prior to the flight. The FAA inspector who went to the accident site and interviewed the pilot, said the pilot told him he looked in the tanks prior to adding fuel, but did not "dip" the tanks to ascertain the quantity of fuel remaining in the tanks. He also said the pilot told him he flight-planned the airplane's fuel burn at 5.5 gallons per hour (gph) for the trip. According to the airplane's POH, depending on the variables of runup, taxi, takeoff, and time to climb, the pilot should plan on the engine using an additional 1.0 to 2.6 gallons per takeoff. The POH indicates that the fuel burn at 65% cruise rpm, below 2,500 feet msl, is 7.2 gph, and at 75% cruise power, 8.2 gph. According to the POH, the cruise airspeed at 65% power below 2,500 feet msl, is 117 mph true airspeed (TAS), and at 75% power, 126 mph TAS. Accordingly, depending on the cruise power selected, for a distance of 165 miles with four takeoffs and landings in a no wind condition, the pilot should expect the engine to use between 14.1 and 21.1 gallons of fuel for the flight.

The FAA inspector said after the airplane was recovered, the engine was started and operated without difficulty.

The pilot did not indicate any preincident mechanical anomalies with the airplane in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.