Cessna 172E accident near Burns, Oregon, September 27, 1991
On September 27, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5680T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burns, Oregon. 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 DELAY IN COMPUTING AIRCRAFT FUEL CONSUMPTION AND HIS FAILURE TO LAND AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TREE BY THE LANDING AREA AND THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE ADJUSTMENT OF THE RIGHT MAGNETO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burns, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5680T · no longer on the register · serial 17251580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD WHEN THE ACFT RAN LOW ON FUEL BEFORE REACHING THE DEST ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT. THE ACFT IMPACTED A TREE BESIDE THE ROAD DURING LANDING GROUND ROLL. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED 3 GAL FUEL REMAINING AND IMPROPER TIMING OF THE RT MAG.
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: 262 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S48 Sandy OR at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 pm from BNO, 35 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.