Incident Summary
A pilot reported that his airplane ran out of fuel while on a cross-country flight from Paxton, Illinois, to Longview, Texas, with a planned refueling stop at Bentonville, Arkansas. The fuel exhaustion occurred over Rogers, Arkansas, approximately 8 miles from Bentonville.
Flight Details
The pilot had been flying for 4 hours and 5 minutes. According to the 1962 Cessna 172 owner's manual, the aircraft's range with full fuel (39 usable gallons) at 7,000 feet and 75% power was 4 hours and 6 minutes, with no reserve.
Landing
Upon realizing the fuel exhaustion, the pilot noted that Rogers airport was within gliding distance. However, as he approached, he determined that the airplane would not clear trees that paralleled the runway to the east. He chose a course to the north where there was a clearing. He then discovered that the runway was built on a hill, which he could not distinguish from the air. Rather than risk impacting the crest of the hill, he landed on the side of the hill, running parallel to its horizontal run. During the landing roll, as the airplane rounded the ridge at the west end of the hill, it impacted a drainage ditch.
Fuel Analysis
A fuel sample taken at the accident site yielded approximately 1/2 quart of fuel from each fuel tank.