Cessna 172N accident near Niles, Michigan, November 12, 1995
On November 12, 1995 at about 8:32 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738LM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Niles, Michigan (Michiana Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's improper fuel consumption calculations. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft and operating with a known malfunctioning fuel gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1995 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- Niles, Michigan · Michiana Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738LM · registry record · serial 17270062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK, TO SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND SPENT 20 MINUTES GROUND RUNNING TIME WAITING FOR AN IFR CLEARANCE. DURING THE FLIGHT THE LEFT FUEL TANK GAUGE WAS ERRATIC, SO THE PILOT IGNORED IT. THE IN-FLIGHT TIME WAS 4 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES BEFORE A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT STATED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE AIRPLANE WAS BETWEEN 8.5 TO 8.9 GPH. AT 8.5 GPH, THE FUEL BURNED DURING THE 4 HOUR AND 25 MINUTE FLIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN 37.5 GALLONS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 2 GALLONS USED FOR THE 20 MINUTE GROUND TIME, FOR A TOTAL OF 39.5 GALLONS USED. AT 8.9 GPH, THE TOTAL WOULD HAVE BEEN 41.3 GALLONS. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK SHOWS THE USABLE FUEL OF 40 GALLONS, WITH 3 GALLONS UNUSABLE. THE POSTCRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED 1-1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK; NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 978 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 858 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUF Buffalo NY at 4:15 pm
- Destination: SBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9R, 7,099 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:39 pm from SBN, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N738LM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.