# NTSB investigations, IA: Fuel exhaustion

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA309.md): Mooney M20E · West Branch, IA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Sep 2, 2026 · N55GA · Substantial damage
- [NTSB CEN26LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA003.md): Quartz Mountain Aerospace 11E · Earlham, IA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 1, 2025 · N516BW · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB CEN23LA396](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA396.md): Cessna 172G · Neola, IA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 3, 2023 · N1374F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB CEN23LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA163.md): Cessna 150J · Buffalo, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 22, 2023 · N60860 · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident were the unreliable fuel quantity gauges and the improperly adjusted mixture control, which increased the fuel consumption…
- [NTSB CEN21LA419](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA419.md): Thatcher CX4 · Marshalltown, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 9, 2021 · N306TA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to properly determine the correct fuel quantity during preflight inspection that resulted in a loss of engine power during approach due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB CEN21LA406](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA406.md): Cessna A185F · Kingsley, IA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 6, 2021 · N7574N · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of an unsecured fuel bladder, which reduced the fuel capacity of the affected tank.
- [NTSB CEN20LA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA385.md): Piper PA28-140 · Red Oak, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 5, 2020 · N2875T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power.
- [NTSB GAA19CA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA173.md): Pereira Osprey · Independence, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 15, 2019 · N822GC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB GAA15CA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA137.md): Piper PA 24 · Charles City, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 25, 2015 · N5152P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate pre-flight fuel planning resulting in fuel exhaustion and a collision with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN14LA472](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA472.md): Ohlgren Brent E RV-6A · Marshalltown, IA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 1, 2014 · N419B · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's misjudgment of the amount of fuel onboard prior to flight.
- [NTSB CEN13LA570](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA570.md): Piper PA 28-181 · Algona, IA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 30, 2013 · N31688 · Substantial damage
  > Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to ensure he had sufficient fuel on board to complete the planned flight. Contributing to the accident was the incomplete information provided by the airport's AWOS.
- [NTSB CEN12CA435](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA435.md): Bell 47G-3B-2 · Treynor, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 9, 2012 · N2919W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB CEN10CA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA178.md): Cessna 172N · Ankeny, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 31, 2010 · N883AV · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel monitoring.
- [NTSB CEN09FA377](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA377.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Sanborn, IA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2009 · N7795N · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's improper fuel planning and failure to refuel.
- [NTSB CEN09CA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA021.md): Cessna 150M · Iowa City, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 7, 2008 · N533JR · Substantial damage
  > Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to visually verify that sufficient fuel was on-board prior to flight.
- [NTSB CHI08CA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA290.md): Unknown Supercat · Redding, IA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 17, 2008 · UNREG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to properly manage the fuel supply of the airplane which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the hilly terrain encountered during the subsequent forced landing.
- [NTSB CHI08CA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA251.md): Air Tractor AT-301B · Monticello, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 13, 2008 · N3161D · Substantial damage
  > Poor preflight planning in that the pilot failed to assure an adequate fuel supply was on board for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude of the airplane when the loss of power occurred and…
- [NTSB CHI08LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA108.md): Cessna 172L · Fairfax, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 21, 2008 · N9832G · Substantial damage
  > Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and inaccurate fuel calculations.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'IA' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '192' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence?state=IA

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