# Fuel indication system

- 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 indication system
- NTSB code: 01022840
- Cases: 30
- In the probable cause: 22
- Fatal cases: 2
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022840/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022840/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022840

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 1 / 2
- 2009: 3 / 3
- 2010: 0 / 1
- 2011: 4 / 4
- 2012: 1 / 1
- 2014: 0 / 2
- 2015: 1 / 1
- 2016: 2 / 3
- 2017: 1 / 3
- 2018: 1 / 1
- 2019: 3 / 3
- 2020: 2 / 2
- 2021: 0 / 1
- 2023: 1 / 1
- 2024: 2 / 2

## Defining events in these cases

- [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 13 cases
- [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 6 cases
- [Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191): 5 cases
- [External load event (Rotorcraft)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/480): 1 cases
- [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 1 cases
- [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 1 cases
- [Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190): 1 cases
- [Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Weatherly 620B](https://openairdocs.org/model/weatherly-620b): 1 cases
- [Socata TBM 700](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tbm-700): 1 cases
- [Smith AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-aerostar-601p): 1 cases
- [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a): 1 cases
- [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 25 cases
- [Fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030) (Personnel issues): 10 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Terrain, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000) (Environmental issues): 2 cases
- [Use of available resources](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820) (Aircraft): 2 cases
- [Fuel storage](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022810) (Aircraft): 2 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB ERA24LA331](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA331), Jul 26, 2024: Aero Commander 200 (N326WR), Valdosta, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: An insect nest in the right main fuel tank’s vent line, which resulted in an inaccurate fuel level reading, fuel starvation, and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB WPR24LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA218), Jun 26, 2024: TL Ultralight Sting RG (N912RG), Rio Linda, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was a fuel quantity indication that was inconsistent with the actual fuel state of the airplane, which likely led the pilot…
- [NTSB CEN24LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA033), Nov 7, 2023: Aero Commander 500-B (N118PW), Jackson, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power to both engines as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel management. Contributing was the inoperative fuel quantity sending unit.
- [NTSB CEN21LA419](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA419), Sep 9, 2021: Thatcher CX4 (N306TA), Marshalltown, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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 CEN20LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA290), Jul 18, 2020: Piper PA22 (N4816A), Loveland, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation
- [NTSB ERA20LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA197), May 30, 2020: Schweizer 269C-1 (N9421P), Ozark, AL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the flight school’s inadequate maintenance of the helicopter’s fuel quantity and caution systems.
- [NTSB WPR20LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA038), Dec 11, 2019: Piper PA-34-200T (N2822F), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel onboard, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the fuel starvation was the erroneous indications on the fuel gauges.
- [NTSB WPR19LA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA243), Aug 26, 2019: Mooney M20C (N78988), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper inflight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB GAA19CA344](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA344), Jun 6, 2019: Bell UH 1H (N4085L), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power, and his improper landing flare during a forced autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.…
- [NTSB GAA18CA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA184), Mar 4, 2018: Piper PA32 (N3756W), Camas, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate inflight fuel management and his failure to switch to a fuel tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation.

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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