Pilot Debrief

Cessna 172 near Aguilares, TX — 2019-01-20

Final reportCEN19LA063
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Date
2019-01-20
Location
Aguilares, TX, USA
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N99308
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that she departed on the aerial observation flight with about 40 gallons of fuel on board. The airplane flew for about 4 hours 24 minutes and was at an altitude of about 5,300 ft mean sea level when it started to shake, and the engine rpm dropped to about 900. The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, she would select either the left or right fuel tank to equalize the fuel in the tanks. After the engine lost power, the pilot switched the fuel selector valve to both and attempted to restore engine power without success. The pilot prepared for a forced landing to a gravel road. During the forced landing, the airplane bounced and veered off the road and into a field; the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged when the airplane nosed over. The first responders reported that, immediately after the accident, fuel was leaking from the right fuel tank but not the left fuel tank. After the airplane was righted, the left fuel tank was found empty, and 4 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right fuel tank. It is unknown how much fuel leaked out while the airplane was inverted. A review of the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane make and model noted that the fuel tanks have a total capacity of 43 gallons of fuel (3 gallons of unusable fuel) and that, when properly configured, fuel consumption would be between 6.4 and 7.3 gallons per hour. The pilot reported that based on experience, she could get 5.5 hours of flight on full fuel tanks. An engine test run and an examination of the airframe and related systems did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Because fuel was recovered from the right fuel tank and not from the left and a successful engine test run was conducted, it is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have ensured adequate fuel before flight or monitored fuel levels more closely.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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