Cessna 172N accident near Laramie, Wyoming, July 5, 2004
On July 5, 2004 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737YJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laramie, Wyoming. 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 due to the pilot's improper inflight decision not to stop and refuel. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2004 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Laramie, Wyoming · 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
- N737YJ · no longer on the register · serial 17269775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, equipped with standard fuel tanks (43.0 gallons total, 40.0 gallons useable), was fueled to capacity prior to departure. The pilot and his passenger took off and flew for an estimated 4 hours, 14 minutes, before the engine lost power short of their destination. The pilot made a forced landing in a field. Postaccident examination revealed both fuel tanks were empty. The pilot admitted he had "run out of gas." According to a fuel calculations report submitted by the operator, "[If the pilot] received exactly full [fuel], flown exactly [a] straight line, leaned precisely, and the engine performed to the book, he would have arrived at KLAR with 1.8 gallons, or 15 minutes, which is half of VFR minimums and a lot less than safe, especially for a 450 nm trip. I think that says it all."
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: 164 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 121 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 3, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,264 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2004; 20 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: MHK Manhattan KS at 6:46 pm
- Destination: LAR Laramie WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 19 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from LAR
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.
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.