Cessna 152 accident near Springdale, Arkansas, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N50SX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springdale, Arkansas (Springdale Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
the instructor's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Springdale, Arkansas · Springdale Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N50SX · no longer on the register · serial 15285147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor and student were practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During the 8th takeoff, the engine began to run rough. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and elected to land in a field near the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane contacted an "unseen ditch." Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the aircraft's fuel tanks contained a total of 0.5 gallons of fuel. The aircraft's pilot operating handbook indicates that there is a total fuel capacity of 26 gallons, of which 1.5 gallons is considered unusable fuel. According to the operator, the pilots did not refuel the airplane prior to the accident flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 816 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 735 as pilot in command; 558 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,646.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 2001; 23.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASG Springdale AR at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,302 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.