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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

June 12, 1997 · Cessna 152 · N6182U

Bridgeport, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 12, 1997
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Bridgeport, TX
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Tail Number
N6182U
Operator
John C Harder
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW97LA218

The student pilot contacted the Fort Worth Flight Service Station (FSS) while en route from Tyler to Bridgeport and reported 'that he was lost.' The pilot's last radio contact with the FSS was 4 hours and 1 minute after his departure from Tyler. Bridgeport was his planned refueling stop. The 40-hour student pilot reported that the engine lost power, and he attempted to land in an open pasture. The student pilot further stated that the nose wheel impacted a rock during the landing roll and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position. No evidence of rotational scoring was noted on either propeller blade. During examination of the two wing tanks, approximately 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the fuel cells. According to the pilot's operating handbook, the unusable fuel for the 1981 model Cessna 152 is 1.5 gallons.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as result of the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Full Narrative

On June 12, 1997, at 1626 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N6182U, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Bridgeport, Texas. The solo student pilot was not injured. The airplane, owned by a private individual, was being operated by the Tyler International School of Aviation, under Title 14 CFR Part 91 at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional cross country flight from Tyler to Bridgeport, Texas, for which a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Tyler, Texas, at 1220. According to the operator, the student pilot, who was in the United States on a student visa, had been endorsed by his flight instructor for a round-robin cross country flight from Tyler to Ganesville, to Wichita Falls, to Bridgeport, and return to Tyler (Bridgeport was his planned refueling stop). The student pilot contacted the Fort Worth Flight Service Station (FSS) while en route from Wichita Falls to Bridgeport and reported "that he was lost." The pilot's last radio contact with the FSS was 4 hours and I minute after his departure from Tyler. The 40-hour student pilot reported that the engine lost power, and he attempted to land in an open pasture about 11 miles northwest of the Bridgeport Municipal Airport. The student pilot further stated that the nose wheel impacted a rock during the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the "nearly inverted position atop a barbed wire fence." Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector and the operator revealed structural damage to the engine mount and the nose landing gear assembly. The top section of both wings sustained substantial damage. Additionally, no evidence of rotational scoring was noted on either propeller blade. During examination of the two wing tanks, approximately 2 gallons of fuel drained from the fuel cells. According to the pilot's operating handbook, the unusable fuel for the 1981 model Cessna 152 is 1.5 gallons.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:26 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 152
Tail NumberN6182U
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJohn C Harder
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235L2C · Reciprocating · 108
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data