Cessna 172P accident near Potts Camp, Mississippi, March 21, 2003
On March 21, 2003 at about 11:09 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N89811, was substantially damaged in an accident near Potts Camp, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a forced landing to a field, and damage to the airplane during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2003 · about 11:09 pm local time
- Place
- Potts Camp, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N89811 · registry record · serial 172-76013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while en route to his fuel stop, about 5 minutes prior to the accident, while scanning the airplane instruments, he was surprised to see that the fuel gauges were indicating below the 5-gallon mark for each tank. After monitoring the gauges, and seeing them stabilize, he said he again started to feel confident in his calculations. About 14 miles south of Holly Springs, Mississippi, in the vicinity of Potts Camp, Mississippi, he said the engine ceased operating. He said he established the best glide speed, while looking for and selecting a field where he could execute a forced landing. As the airplane was descending he attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. After maneuvering to avoid wires, he landed the airplane in the field, and during the landing rollout the airplane's nose wheel became entangled in a wire fence, and the airplane was damaged. An FAA inspector responded to the accident scene, and noted that no fuel was present in the airplane. After recovery from the field, an FAA licensed airframe and power plant mechanic, under the supervision of the FAA inspector, conducted an examination of the airplane, and no anomalies were found. When fuel was provided, and the damaged propeller replaced, the airplane's engine was tested and it operated normally.
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: 52 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 30, 2003; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNS Pensacola FL at 8:35 pm
- Destination: M42 Holly Springs MS
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from OLV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.