# Fuel system, general - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft systems](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0102) › [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010228) › Fuel system, general - NTSB code: 01022800 - Cases: 181 - In the probable cause: 165 - Fatal cases: 22 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 17 / 20 - 2009: 12 / 12 - 2010: 6 / 7 - 2011: 13 / 15 - 2012: 15 / 15 - 2013: 12 / 12 - 2014: 8 / 9 - 2015: 12 / 12 - 2016: 7 / 8 - 2017: 9 / 10 - 2018: 9 / 10 - 2019: 2 / 2 - 2020: 10 / 11 - 2021: 5 / 6 - 2022: 5 / 7 - 2023: 13 / 14 - 2024: 7 / 8 - 2025: 2 / 2 - 2026: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 44 cases - [Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191): 31 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 24 cases - [Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193): 20 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 13 cases - [Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190): 13 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 9 cases - [Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150): 8 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 4 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 6 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22T](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22t): 3 cases - [Cessna 177RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg): 3 cases - [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a): 2 cases - [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p): 2 cases - [Piper PA-32R-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301): 2 cases - [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350): 2 cases - [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 2 cases - [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 2 cases - [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 2 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 69 cases - [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 18 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 15 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 14 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 14 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 12 cases - [Maintenance, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062000) (Personnel issues): 11 cases - [Engine (reciprocating), general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500) (Aircraft): 11 cases - [Installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035) (Personnel issues): 10 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 9 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN26LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA221), May 20, 2026: Rockwell International S-2R (N4990X), Gause, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the separated wing fuel tank screen and sealant debris in the fuel tank. - [NTSB ERA25LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA188), Apr 23, 2025: Cessna 172RG (N6386V), Louisburg, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to identify and remediate water contamination of the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during initial climb. - [NTSB CEN25LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA101), Feb 20, 2025: Cessna 177A (N30413), Farlinville, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power that resulted from fuel contamination when it was treated with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution (antiseptic) that contained water. Contributing to the accident were vague fuel… - [NTSB WPR25LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA046), Nov 24, 2024: Piper PA-28R-200 (N55641), Gillette, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation resulting from a loose B-nut at the engine-driven fuel-pump inlet. - [NTSB CEN25LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA009), Oct 8, 2024: Quicksilver GT 400 (N2490H), Garden Ridge, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power that resulted from improper fuel system maintenance and the subsequent fuel starvation due to the leaking fuel pump outlet fuel line. - [NTSB CEN24LA344](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA344), Sep 8, 2024: Bellanca 7GCAA (N36008), Rifle, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. - [NTSB WPR24LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA281), Aug 15, 2024: Evektor-Aerotechnik A S Harmony LSA (N272JT), Grants, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined. - [NTSB CEN24LA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA216), Jun 6, 2024: Air Tractor AT-402 (N45123), Perryton, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a low-level turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at too low of an altitude to recover. - [NTSB WPR24LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA148), May 10, 2024: Kjelsrud Gary Kitfox (N605GK), Powell, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s adjustment of the carburetor to an incorrect setting, which resulted in partial loss of engine power during takeoff. - [NTSB ERA24LA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA152), Mar 24, 2024: Cessna 172 (N863AU), Opelika, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power due to a combination of fuel/oil contamination in the fuel injector assembly. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.