Cessna 172K accident near Farmersville, Texas, May 5, 2011
On May 5, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N46400, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Farmersville, Texas. It was an aerial observation 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Farmersville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46400 · no longer on the register · serial 17257241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 2 hours after departure on an aerial pipeline patrol flight, the pilot turned on the fuel transfer pump, which transfers fuel from the auxiliary baggage fuel tank to the airplane’s right wing fuel tank. The pilot reported that this was his routine and that it would take about two hours to transfer the fuel from the auxiliary tank to the wing fuel tank. The pilot added that, almost 4 hours after departure, the engine sputtered; he rocked the wings and noticed that the fuel transfer pump appeared to be off. He then started the fuel transfer again. The fuel transfer light came on; however, the airplane was too low to wait for the fuel to move to the wing fuel tank and then to the engine. So the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. The airplane collided with several tree branches before impacting the ground and flipping over. During the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to its right wing, aft fuselage, and top of the vertical stabilizer. The pilot also stated that sometime after he started the initial transfer of fuel the transfer pump apparently turned off and he did not notice.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,341 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 7,869 as pilot in command; 3,629 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 26, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Texas Aerial Inspections LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KCPT Cleburne TX at 5:10 pm
- Destination: 52F Roanoke TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KTKI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.