# NTSB ANC15CA030: Cessna U206G, N888KD, Port Alsworth, AK, May 27, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 26, 2015, 18:42 local (May 27, 2015, 02:42 UTC) - Place: Port Alsworth, AK - Coordinates: 60, -154 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.0000&lon=-154.0000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 91249 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC15CA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91249/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91249 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA030 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight and mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna U206G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2073356), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna U206G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2073356), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while on a cross-country flight, in a single engine airplane, and as the airplane was about 30 miles from the destination, the engine began to surge and lose power. In an attempt to restore full engine power, he switched the fuel selector valve from the right fuel tank to the left tank, placed the fuel mixture to the full rich position, and turned on the auxiliary engine fuel boost pump. He said that the engine regained full power momentarily, but when the airplane was about 17 miles for the destination, the engine began surging again. He placed the fuel selector valve back to the right tank, but engine power was not restored. The pilot then selected a mountainous tundra-covered ridgeline as a forced landing site. During touchdown on the soft terrain, the nose wheel struck an object beneath the tundra, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The day after the accident, during a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that he had failed to verify the amount of fuel onboard before departing. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, which was completed and submitted by the pilot's attorney, dated 11 days after the accident, he reported that 20 days before the accident he had the airplane fueled and verified that the fuel tanks were full. He stated that he flew two short flights, then the airplane sat for 12 days until the day of the accident flight. The accident flight occurred a day early and followed a different route than the pilot had anticipated to fly. The pilot stated that they flew extra miles and encountered significant headwinds and decreased ground speed before the engine began surging. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that while on a cross-country flight, in a single engine airplane, and as the airplane was about 30 miles from the destination, the engine began to surge and lose power. In an attempt to restore full engine power, he switched the fuel selector valve from the right fuel tank to the left tank, placed the fuel mixture to the full rich position, and turned on the auxiliary engine fuel boost pump. He said that the engine regained full power momentarily, but when the airplane was about 17 miles for the destination, the engine began surging again. He placed the fuel selector valve back to the right tank, but engine power was not restored. The pilot then selected a mountainous tundra-covered ridgeline as a forced landing site. During touchdown on the soft terrain, the nose wheel struck an object beneath the tundra, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The day after the accident, during a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that he had failed to verify the amount of fuel onboard before departing. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, which was completed and submitted by the pilot's attorney, dated 11 days after the accident, he reported that 20 days before the accident he had the airplane fueled and verified that the fuel tanks were full. He stated that he flew two short flights, then the airplane sat for 12 days until the day of the accident flight. The accident flight occurred a day early and followed a different route than the pilot had anticipated to fly. The pilot stated that they flew extra miles and encountered significant headwinds and decreased ground speed before the engine began surging. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N888KD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N888KD-2018-06-01), registration cancelled 2018-06-01, S/N U20604321, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA U206G - Registry model: [Cessna U206G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206g) (registry code 2073356) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20604321 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 7506 - Engines: Continental IO 520F 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Alaskan Adventures Restoration Thru Recr - Registered owner: Alaskan Adventures Restoration Thru Recr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 14, 2015 - Departed: Koliganek, AK - Destination: AK51, Port Alsworth, AK - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, Video recording device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 24, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,528 total, 100 in this make and model, 2,400 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 8 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: PALJ, 16 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150526011469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150526011469A), May 26, 2015: Cessna U206G, Port Alsworth, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft ran out of fuel, did an off airport landing and flipped over causing substantial damage. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 18, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91249. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430896&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 973 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430897&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430898&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Reports from State Agencies (item 4, .PDF, 154 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430899&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20State%20Agencies-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.