Cessna 152 accident near Eugene, Oregon, September 29, 2012
On September 29, 2012, a 1985 Cessna 152, registered N95840, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Eugene, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have resulted in the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2012
- Place
- Eugene, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1985 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95840 · registry record · serial 15285973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the student pilot were part of a community college flight technology department, and the airplane was owned and maintained by the department. The flight instructor reported that, when he conducted the airplane's first flight of the day, he took off with the fuel tanks completely full. The airplane was then used for another flight; the airplane was operated for a total of 2.5 hours after the most recent refueling. Based on both that time and his visual inspection of the fuel tanks, the instructor determined that there was sufficient fuel for 2 more hours of flight, and he and the student pilot then departed in the airplane for some basic airwork. About 42 minutes into the flight, while returning to the airport for landing, the engine experienced a power loss, and the instructor conducted a forced landing in a field about 8 miles from the airport. Examination of the airplane revealed that the total quantity of fuel remaining onboard was about 1.5 gallons, which was the same as the manufacturer's designated amount of unusable fuel. A small quantity of fuel was observed in the lower cowl, but this appeared to be consistent with spillage from the carburetor as a result of the accident. No other evidence of any in-flight or postimpact fuel leaks was observed. Postaccident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have contributed to the power loss. Review of the airplane's calculated average fuel consumption rates for several recent flights revealed that the rates were consistent with the manufacturer's published data. However, the calculated fuel consumption rate during the flights since the last refueling was significantly higher than other recent flights and the manufacturer's data. Despite the industry-accepted unreliability of fuel quantity indication observations, the instructor's observation of slightly less than half full tanks before the accident flight confirmed his calculations and would have resulted in 2 hours of flying time. These calculations and the instructor's observation support the validity of his preflight planning, decisions, and actions. Although uncertainties regarding initial fuel quantity, on-site spillage, and postaccident recovered fuel quantity reduced the fidelity of that calculated value, slightly more than half of the usable fuel would have to be unaccounted for, which seems unlikely. The available evidence was insufficient to enable a determination for the reason(s) for the fuel exhaustion and subsequent engine power loss.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 314 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command; 19 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 2 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,093 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 18, 2012; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 6,438 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUG Eugene OR at 10:45 pm
- Destination: EUG Eugene OR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from EUG, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR12LA439.