# Fuel exhaustion

- Type: NTSB defining event
- NTSB code: 192
- CICTT category: Fuel
- Defining event in: 695 cases
- In the sequence of: 804 cases
- Fatal cases: 70
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/cases.md
- Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192

## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence)

- 2008: 46 / 54
- 2009: 48 / 58
- 2010: 39 / 56
- 2011: 30 / 37
- 2012: 30 / 36
- 2013: 33 / 41
- 2014: 46 / 52
- 2015: 39 / 45
- 2016: 42 / 45
- 2017: 31 / 33
- 2018: 39 / 45
- 2019: 23 / 42
- 2020: 37 / 41
- 2021: 28 / 29
- 2022: 42 / 43
- 2023: 48 / 49
- 2024: 35 / 36
- 2025: 38 / 39
- 2026: 21 / 23

## Phase of flight

- Enroute-cruise: 183 cases
- Enroute: 154 cases
- Approach: 79 cases
- Enroute-descent: 56 cases
- Maneuvering: 44 cases
- Approach-VFR pattern final: 36 cases
- Initial climb: 33 cases
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: 32 cases
- Approach-VFR pattern base: 14 cases
- Takeoff: 9 cases

## In the probable cause of these cases

- [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 594 cases
- [Fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030) (Personnel issues): 448 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 126 cases
- [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 119 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 42 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 26 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 20 cases
- [Lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030) (Personnel issues): 18 cases
- [Monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525) (Personnel issues): 17 cases
- [Flight planning/navigation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025) (Personnel issues): 15 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 13 cases
- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 13 cases
- [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f): 12 cases
- [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 11 cases
- [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250): 11 cases
- [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177): 10 cases
- [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 10 cases
- [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m): 10 cases
- [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l): 8 cases
- [Cessna 150J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j): 8 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB CEN27LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN27LA011), Oct 9, 2026: Flight Design Ctls (N792CT), Yankton, SD, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB CEN26LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA314), Sep 8, 2026: Cessna 150F (N8061F), Weslaco, TX, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB CEN26LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA309), Sep 2, 2026: Mooney M20E (N55GA), West Branch, IA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB WPR26LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA323), Aug 30, 2026: Beech E-55 (N333W), Mecca, CA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ANC26LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA089), Aug 19, 2026: Cessna 180J (N9949N), Bettles, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB WPR26LA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA293), Aug 7, 2026: P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL-104 Wilga 35A (N113AS), Ukiah, CA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB WPR26LA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA268), Jul 18, 2026: Piper PA-18 (N7590K), Colusa, CA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing
- [NTSB ERA26LA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA273), Jul 15, 2026: Piper PA-28-180 (N9758J), Linneus, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight and in-flight monitoring of the fuel quantity, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB CEN26LA249](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA249), Jul 10, 2026: Cessna 150 (N3773J), Ellsworth, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to complete…
- [NTSB CEN26LA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA225), Jun 15, 2026: Piper PA-30 (N8143Y), Meridian, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to verify the airplane’s fuel quantity before departure.

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted.

Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1).

NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names.

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