NTSB FTW83LA325 — 1983-07-04 · OXFORD, Arkansas, United States

Current FAA registration · N6302F

Make / Model: CESSNA 172H
Year of manufacture: 1967 · 16 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19990414
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A84060

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N6302F Cessna 337A None

Factual narrative

PRIOR TO STARTING ON A ROUND TRIP FROM MANHATTAN, KS, THE OWNER INFORMED THE PLT THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE REAR ENG WAS INOP & PRECLUDED SELECTION OF THE AUX FUEL TANK. FOR THAT REASON, THE PLT DID NOT USE EITHER AUX FUEL TANK. AFTER ABOUT 2.8 HRS ON THE RETURN FLT, THE REAR ENG'S POWER BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE REAR BOOST PUMP WAS INOP & THE PLT SUSPECTED A VAPOR LOCK. APRX 5 TO 10 MIN LATER, THE REAR ENG LOST ALL POWER. THE PLT STARTED DIVERTING TO SALEM, AR. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE FRONT ENG ALSO QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON ROCKY TERRAIN & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. BOTH MAIN TANKS WERE FOUND INTACT & EMPTY. LESS THAN 1 GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT AUX TANK & ABOUT 6 GAL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT AUX TANK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_FTW83LA325.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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