Cessna 172G accident near Fredericksburg, Virginia, August 1, 1991
On August 1, 1991 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N6002R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE IMPROPER FUEL TANK. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT DID NOT USE THE CHECK LIST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1991 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N6002R · registry record · serial 17253671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON A FLIGHT FROM MADISON, CONNECTICUT TO FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, THE PILOT VISUALLY INSPECED THE FUEL TANKS. HE STATED THAT THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL WHILE THE LEFT TANK WAS TWO TO THREE GALLONS SHORT OF BEING FULL. HE DEPARTED AT ABOUT 1421 EDT WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE BOTH POSITION. DURING THE FLIGHT HE ALTERNATED BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANK. HE STATED THAT HE SELECTED THE LEFT TANK FOR APPROXIMATELY 93 MINUTES AND THE RIGHT TANK FOR 74 MINUTES. AS HE CONTINUED HIS DESCENT TO HIS DESTINATION, HE KEPT THE SELECTOR ON THE LEFT TANK. DURING THE DESCENT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THERE WAS SIX TO EIGHT GALLONS REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD USED THE EMERGENCY CHECK LIST.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 358 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 307 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,822 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1990; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N04 Madison CT at 6:21 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from DCA, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO91LA071.