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Fuel quantity sensor

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NTSB finding · Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system

All 10 cases9 in the probable cause
Cases
10
In the probable cause
9 (90%)
Fatal cases
2
NTSB code
01022842

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01022842') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '01022842'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '01022842') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 10

NTSB ERA20LA297Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRockwell 500 · Pembroke Park, FLA total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion was the fatigue fracture of an electrical wire in the tank unit or fuel transmitter, which likely resulted in an inaccurate fuel quantity indication.Aug 28, 2020 · N900DT · DestroyedNTSB CEN19LA215Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportBeech 65 · Sidney, NEThe improper maintenance of the outboard left wing, which allowed electrical arcing and leaking of the fuel sending unit and subsequently resulted in ignition of fuel vapors and an explosion of the outboard left wing.Jul 9, 2019 · N62069 · Substantial damageNTSB ERA18FA012Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBeech 35C33 · Whiteville, NCThe pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and his delayed reaction to the loss of engine power, which led to impact with trees as he was attempting to switch fuel tanks.…Oct 31, 2017 · N293GC · Substantial damageNTSB CEN18LA010Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBellanca 17-30A · Sweetwater, TXThe loss of engine power during a precautionary approach for landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Oct 6, 2017 · N8234R · Substantial damageNTSB WPR17LA014Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAerospatiale AS350 · Starbuck, WAA total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the pilot’s reliance on the fuel gauge that was displaying an incorrect fuel amount due to the separation of the fuel transmitter float pin guide from the float.Oct 28, 2016 · N369BD · Substantial damageNTSB WPR16LA032Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 369D · Carlisle, WAA total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the improper calibration of the fuel quantity gauge.Nov 24, 2015 · N50713 · Substantial damageNTSB WPR14CA400Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMazurek Keith P Zodiac 601XL · Hurricane, UTLoss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was an incorrectly calibrated fuel totalizer.Jun 22, 2014 · N599KM · Substantial damageNTSB CEN13LA362Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPiper PA-24-260 · Eagle, COThe pilots’ improper fuel management, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was worn and corroded fuel senders, which transmitted inaccurate fuel readings to the fuel monitoring system.Jun 28, 2013 · N856CC · Substantial damageNTSB CEN13FA182Accident · Minor injuriesField investigationFinal reportAero Commander 500B · Broomfield, COLoss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the fuel gauge to indicate the actual amount of fuel on board the airplane and the design of the airplane's fuel system, which precluded a visual confirmation of the…Mar 1, 2013 · N93AA · Substantial damageNTSB CEN12LA667Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · Decorah, IAThe pilot's failure to properly manage the helicopter's available fuel supply, which led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the improper calibration of the fuel gauge and the fuel-low warning light.Sep 30, 2012 · N530KD · Substantial damage
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '01022842'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.