# Fuel planning

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Task performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0206) › [Planning/preparation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020610) › Fuel planning
- NTSB code: 02061030
- Cases: 720
- In the probable cause: 700
- Fatal cases: 78
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030

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

- 2008: 35 / 35
- 2009: 49 / 49
- 2010: 40 / 41
- 2011: 52 / 52
- 2012: 36 / 36
- 2013: 43 / 43
- 2014: 50 / 51
- 2015: 43 / 43
- 2016: 32 / 32
- 2017: 24 / 25
- 2018: 38 / 38
- 2019: 35 / 35
- 2020: 43 / 45
- 2021: 27 / 28
- 2022: 42 / 46
- 2023: 39 / 43
- 2024: 26 / 29
- 2025: 35 / 37
- 2026: 11 / 12

## Defining events in these cases

- [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 461 cases
- [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 108 cases
- [Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191): 100 cases
- [Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190): 14 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 8 cases
- [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 6 cases
- [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 4 cases
- [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 3 cases
- [Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332): 2 cases
- [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 2 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140): 18 cases
- [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180): 17 cases
- [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 13 cases
- [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181): 12 cases
- [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250): 12 cases
- [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177): 12 cases
- [Cessna 150F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150f): 12 cases
- [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m): 9 cases
- [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36): 9 cases
- [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a): 8 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 660 cases
- [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 128 cases
- [Preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510) (Personnel issues): 83 cases
- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 44 cases
- [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 43 cases
- [Rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015) (Environmental issues): 42 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 39 cases
- [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 24 cases
- [Fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047) (Environmental issues): 17 cases
- [Monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525) (Personnel issues): 15 cases

## Newest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA268), Jul 18, 2026: Piper PA-18 (N7590K), Colusa, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and in-flight decision making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [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 WPR26LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA240), Jun 27, 2026: Bellanca 17-30A (N501CR), Santa Paula, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.
- [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 CEN26LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA194), May 20, 2026: Lockwood AIR CAM (N32F), Hutchinson, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB ERA26LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA190), Apr 26, 2026: Piper PA-30 (N8432Y), Enterprise, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight and inflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and subsequent forced landing into trees.
- [NTSB CEN26LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA165), Apr 14, 2026: Pipistrel Alpha Trainer (N495LP), Peyton, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ inadequate preflight fuel planning and improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and subsequent forced landing to a field.
- [NTSB ERA26LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA171), Apr 12, 2026: Cessna 150 (N6586S), Naples, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA26LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA135), Mar 3, 2026: Cessna 152 (N588BR), Thonotosassa, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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 CEN26LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA128), Mar 1, 2026: Air Tractor AT-502 (N5063N), Larose, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel planning and his failure to adequately monitor the fuel level during flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the…

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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