Cessna 172I accident near Suffolk, Virginia, February 25, 2001
On February 25, 2001 at about 8:30 am local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N46115, was substantially damaged in an accident near Suffolk, Virginia (Hampton Roads airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and his failure to refuel, 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
- February 25, 2001 · about 8:30 am local time
- Place
- Suffolk, Virginia · Hampton Roads · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N46115 · registry record · serial 17257049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a 4 hour cross county flight, about 5 miles north-northwest of the destination airport, the pilot reported the airplane "ran out of gas" and had lost engine power. During a forced landing to a road, the airplane struck a vehicle and stop sign. The pilot stated he encountered "a little more headwind then was predicated;" however, he felt enough fuel remained in the airplane to reach his destination. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were "dry." The pilot obtained his private pilot license in December of 2000, and had accumulated about 100 hours of total flight experience.
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: 107 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 13, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,683 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 4, 2001; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP Islip NY at 4:40 am
- Destination: PVG Portsmouth VA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 8:22 am from cpk, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.