Cessna 172M accident near Pingree, Idaho, June 1, 2001
On June 1, 2001 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered CFDGH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pingree, Idaho. 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 inadequate in-flight decision by failing to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the 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
- June 1, 2001 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pingree, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- CFDGH · no longer on the register · serial 17260775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed Edmonton, Canada, with his passenger in the Cessna 172M, with 48 gallons of usable fuel aboard. The trip included 2 stops before terminating at the end of the first day having flown 3 hours and 34 minutes. The pilot added 12 gallons of fuel at his stopover. The following day he and his passenger departed on the next leg of the trip (Great Falls, MT, to Pocatello, ID). The engine quit after not less than 6 hours 51 minutes of operation on a total of 60 gallons of usable fuel. On site examination revealed no evidence of fuel in either fuel tank or spilled/leaked at the site, and only 4.5 ounces of fuel were retrieved from fuel lines. The landing site was characterized by soft furrows in a field and the furrows were observed to change direction (from parallel) during the ground roll of the aircraft. The pilot reported in a written statement that "...The pilot had thoughts of landing at Idaho Falls but decided to fly as flight planned...!"
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 710 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,976 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 15, 2000; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 3:54 pm
- Destination: PIH Pocatello ID
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PIH, 13 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.