Cessna 172 accident near King And Queen, Virginia, July 5, 2018
On July 5, 2018 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 172, registered N1401F, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near King And Queen, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2018 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- King And Queen, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 H, built 1966 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1401F · no longer on the register · serial 17254896
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, about 3 hours en route, he realized that the airplane's fuel level was very low. He started to look for nearby airports to land, but the engine rpm dropped, and he realized the airplane was going to run out of fuel before making it to an alternate airport. He decided to land in a nearby field, but on final, the engine experienced a total power loss. Subsequently, during the off-airport landing, the airplane's nosewheel touched down first and broke off. The airplane then "teetered," and both wings struck the ground before the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that he departed with about 40 gallons of fuel. He added that he must have burned off more fuel during taxi and takeoff than he realized and, that if he had stopped for fuel earlier in the flight, the accident would not have happened. 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 defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 98 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 17, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 3,787 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYM Morehead KY at 6:15 pm
- Destination: MFV Melfa VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 8:16 pm from KXSA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on October 30, 2018. 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 |
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.