Cessna 172 accident near Granbury, Texas, November 26, 1990
On November 26, 1990 at about 6:01 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N46383, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granbury, Texas (Granbury Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1990 · about 6:01 am local time
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · Granbury Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N46383 · no longer on the register · serial 17257231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. FOUR HOURS AND TWENTY ONE MINUTES HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE PILOT DEPARTED HIS LAST REFUELING STOP. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON AN EXTENDED BASE LEG FOR LANDING WHEN A TOTAL ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. A FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED TO AN AREA COVERED WITH HIGH VEGETATION. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE EMPTY AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE BOTH POSITION.
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: 175 hours in all; 26 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU Monroe LA at 1:40 am
- Destination: F18 Cleburne TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:51 am from FTW, 53 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.