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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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December 14, 1999 · Cessna 182R · N9616H

Farmington, NM

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 14, 1999
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Farmington, NM
Aircraft
Cessna 182R
Tail Number
N9616H
Operator
Bobby Lynn Bixler
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DEN00LA027

On a cross-country flight that was on a route the pilot flew often as a non-stop trip, the airplane encountered constant head winds that reduced ground speed to about 90 knots. After 6 hours and 50 minutes of flight, the pilot made the decision to land at an airport short of his destination for fuel. According to the pilot, when the airplane was about 35 miles short of the intended fuel stop, the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion and he conducted a forced landing to rough uneven terrain. During landing roll, the aircraft nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and his improper inflight decision to not land and refuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

Full Narrative

On December 14, 1999, at 1620 mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 182R, N9616H, made a forced landing approximately 35 miles southeast of Farmington, New Mexico. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this cross-country flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from San Marcos, Texas, at 0930 MST with a planned destination of Durango, Colorado. No flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, he had flown the route on frequent occasions and the fuel burn usually was between 65 and 72 gallons from San Marcos to Durango. The aircraft held 96 gallons useable fuel and the pilot said the fuel tanks were "topped off" before departure. On this trip, he noted that the headwinds were constant and that he was averaging about 90 knots ground speed. He said that he made the decision to land at Farmington for fuel and was approximately 35 miles southeast of the Farmington airport when the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. The flight had been airborne for 6 hours and 50 minutes when fuel exhaustion occurred. The pilot said that the terrain was rough and uneven and the aircraft nosed over during landing roll.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:20 MST
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 182R
Tail NumberN9616H
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorBobby Lynn Bixler
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-470-U · Reciprocating · 230
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 57 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind290° @ 11 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point28 C / 3 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time23:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data