Cessna 172 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 28, 2019
On July 28, 2019 at about 9:32 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 172, registered N79575, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel planning and decision to not divert to a closer airport when the planned flight profile changed, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2019 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 K, built 1969 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N79575 · registry record · serial 17258188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting the return leg of a cross-country flight. He reported that the airplane was full of fuel before he departed on the first leg of the trip, the duration of which he did not provide. The pilot also reported that he was concerned with the weather at his destination and did not add fuel before departing on the accident flight to expedite his return. He had planned the flight at 7,000 ft mean sea level and felt there was enough fuel onboard at that altitude. After about 1 hour of flight, an air traffic controller directed the pilot to climb to 9,000 ft and rerouted the flight. The pilot stated he became concerned with the fuel level at that time due to the climb and change in wind, but he chose to continue to his destination. About 30 minutes later and 20 miles short of the intended destination, the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot subsequently conducted an emergency landing in a field. At no time during the flight did the pilot express his concerns about the lack of fuel onboard to the controller, request a diversion to a closer airport, or declare an emergency. The elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 exhaustion during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fox Valley Flyers Inc
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Iowa City IA
- Destination: ATW Appleton WI
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 29, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.