Cessna 172G accident near Vail, Arizona, September 18, 2002
On September 18, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N2982U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vail, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations, 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
- September 18, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vail, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2982U · no longer on the register · serial 17254808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a planned nonstop cross-country flight from Texas to Arizona, the pilot exhausted all fuel and made a hard forced landing in a clearing. The pilot reported that en route strong headwinds were encountered, and he was aware that his fuel status was low but thought he had sufficient fuel to fly home despite the headwinds. The pilot acknowledged that he should have diverted to available airports but evidently misjudged the headwind and his available fuel. When all engine power was lost he aimed for a clearing near a drag strip. During the descent he observed power lines, dissipated airspeed to avoid them, and stalled thus impacting the ground hard. No mechanical problems were reported with the airplane.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,775 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command; 430 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: CGZ Casa Grande AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 19 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from TUS, 9 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.
Other NTSB records under N2982U 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.