Cessna 172M accident near Ocean Springs, Mississippi, September 13, 2005
On September 13, 2005 at about 8:12 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N901NS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean Springs, Mississippi. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismanagement of available fuel and continued operation with the fuel selector set to the left tank position, which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent 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
- September 13, 2005 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean Springs, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N901NS · no longer on the register · serial 17265031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had no recollection of the accident. Another pilot/witness stated that he was also a contract pilot working for the same survey company, and he had been conversing with the accident pilot while conducting aerial surveys in his airplane at the time. The witness said he observed events and heard radio communications during and after the accident. The witness said he heard the accident pilot say that his airplane's engine started running rough, and about 20 seconds later he heard a "mayday" call on the radio, and that the accident pilot said that his airplane's engine had ceased operating, and he was going down. He said he first saw the accident airplane when it was at an altitude of about 800 feet, and he saw the pilot divert to an open field and set up for a left downwind. The witness said he then saw the pilot "crank" the airplane around in a tight turn to avoid power lines. According to the witness, the airplane hit the ground in a left spin, nose down, and came to an abrupt stop. According to an FAA inspector, shortly after the accident occurred the accident airplane was defueled to prevent a safety hazard, and about 10 to 15 gallons of fuel was removed from the right wing. No fuel was found in the left wing. The inspector further stated that the fuel selector had been set to the left tank position, and there was no evidence of significant fuel spillage at the scene. In addition, technical representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Textron Lycoming Engines, performed detailed examinations on the airplane and its systems under the oversight of an FAA inspector, and the investigation confirmed that the fuel selector valve had been set to the left position. No other preaccident anomalies were noted to exist with the airplane or any of its systems
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,243 hours in all; 721 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,080 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,976 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern States Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 2R4 Milton FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 2R4
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from GPT, 15 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.