LAX83LA218

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PLT DEPARTED LIVERMORE, CA AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. HE REPORTED THAT HIS DESTINATION WAS TUCSON, AZ. EN ROUTE STOPS WERE MADE AT BAKERSFIELD & BANNING, CA. AFTER REFUELING AT BANNING, HE DEPARTED ON A UNSPECIFIED & UNDETERMINED ROUTE. HE STATED THAT IN THE VICINITY OF AJO, AZ, HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO GILA BEND, AZ, BUT PROVIDED NO REASON FOR THE DIVERSION. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING DURING ARRIVAL & HE WAS TOO LOW TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS LANDED CROSS-WISE TO THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BERM. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY & ONLY ABOUT 2 GAL WAS REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. UNUSABLE FUEL FOR THE CESSNA 172E IS APRX 2 GAL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS INDORSED FOR THE X-COUNTRY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN HIS REPORT THAT EITHER OF THE PASSENGERS WERE RATED PILOTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12