Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Bridgeport, AL — 2016-12-27

Final reportERA17LA075
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Date
2016-12-27
Location
Bridgeport, AL, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N3772F
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to make steep turns to the right while operating on the right fuel tank with low fuel quantity, which led to a loss of engine power due to unporting of the right fuel tank and fuel starvation.

NTSB narrative

During a local personal flight, the airline transport pilot was performing a series of steep turns to the right with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, which contained about 4.5 gallons of fuel. When the airplane rolled out of a steep turn, the engine began to sputter and lose power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane flipped over and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that the loss of engine power was likely the result of fuel starvation due to the low quantity of fuel in the right fuel tank. This likely occurred during the steep turn to the right as the fuel inside the right fuel tank flowed outboard and away from the fuel pickup located on the inboard side of the tank.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have switched fuel selector back to BOTH before engine power loss.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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