- Date
- October 11, 2018, 12:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6492HCessna 207
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20181011019729A
- Case key
- 98508
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power, and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees during the approach to land at a nearby airstrip.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while on a visual approach at 700 ft, the airplane lost all engine power. The pilot immediately recognized that the selected fuel tank was empty because she had forgotten to switch fuel tanks during the flight. She attempted to restore engine power by selecting the other fuel tank, which did have fuel remaining, and activating the auxiliary fuel pump. Partial engine power was restored, and the pilot decided to land at a nearby private airstrip. During the approach, the right wing struck a tree. The pilot continued the landing, and during the landing roll, the nosewheel contacted soft gravel, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while on a visual approach at 700 feet, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot immediately recognized that the selected fuel tank was empty because she had forgotten to switch fuel tanks during the flight. She attempted to restore engine power by selecting the other fuel tank, which did have fuel remaining, and activating the auxiliary fuel pump. Partial engine power was restored, and the pilot decided to land at a nearby private airstrip. During the approach, the airplane's right wing struck a tree, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot continued the landing and during the landing roll, the nose wheel contacted soft gravel and the nose gear collapsed, resulting in impact with terrain and substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6492H
- Reported as
- Cessna 207 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20700544
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 29,303.4
- Engine
- Continental IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 28, 2018 · 97.3 hours before
- Departed
- 9AK3 · Tyonek, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 6AK2 · Sleepers Strip, runway 06, 1,600 × 60 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 20, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMR, 4 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.