# NTSB ANC15CA052: Cessna 182, N5722B, Wasilla, AK, July 23, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 22, 2015, 19:22 local (Jul 23, 2015, 03:22 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.615001, -149.618896 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6150&lon=-149.6189&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 5, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91614 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC15CA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91614/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91614 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA052 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to ensure adequate fuel was onboard to complete the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the improperly calibrated fuel quantity indication system. ## 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 182, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel quantity indicator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022841/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a personal sightseeing flight when she realized she was low on fuel, and immediately diverted to an alternate airport. While enroute to the alternate airport she determined that enough fuel remained by consulting her onboard fuel computer, and elected to continue to her destination. As she approached her destination airport, the airplane's engine began to sputter, followed by a total loss of engine power, and she selected a small private airstrip as a landing site. During the emergency descent she "undershot" the landing area, and flared into the trees near the approach end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and noted that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. ## Factual narrative The pilot was on a personal sightseeing flight when she realized she was low on fuel, and immediately diverted to an alternate airport. While enroute to the alternate airport she determined that enough fuel remained by consulting her onboard fuel computer, and elected to continue to her destination. As she approached her destination airport, the airplane's engine began to sputter, followed by a total loss of engine power, and she selected a small private airstrip as a landing site. During the emergency descent she "undershot" the landing area, and flared into the trees near the approach end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and noted that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5722B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5722B), registered now, S/N 33722 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182 (F) - Registry model: [Cessna 182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182) (registry code 2072702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 33722 - Airframe hours: 1901.1 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: Unknown - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Bitney Deborah M - Registered owner: Bitney Deborah M - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2014 - Departed: PAMR, Anchorage, AK - Destination: Big Lake, AK - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 17, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 166 total, 74 in this make and model, 88 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.54 inHg - Observed at: PAWS ## 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 20150722021679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150722021679A), Jul 22, 2015: Cessna 182, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. Mishap pilot (mp) over-estimated her fuel. While very familiar of her fuel gauges and their accuracy, mp did not know of the "unusable fuel" for her aircraft… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91614. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432607&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432608&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-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.