Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate pre-flight inspection which resulted in fuel exhaustion and total loss of engine power. A factor was the soft terrain at the emergency landing site.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 5, 1997, about 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N5124G, collapsed the nose landing gear and nosed over during an emergency landing near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The airplane was operated by the Shell Aviation Services, Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. A flight plan was not filed for the business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was the Horry County Airport, Conway, South Carolina, at an undetermined time, on the same date.
According to the FAA inspector who visited the accident site, the pilot reported that the airplane's fuel supply was exhausted, resulting in a loss of engine power, forced landing, and subsequent damage to the airplane. The inspector reported that the pilot stated he did not check the fuel quantity in the airplane prior to beginning the flight.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL97LA081