# NTSB ANC20CA011: Cessna 170, N4667C, Fairbanks, AK, January 1, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 31, 2019, 20:30 local (Jan 1, 2020, 05:30 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.666946, -148.13333 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.6669&lon=-148.1333&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: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100755 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC20CA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100755/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100755 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20CA011 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, an emergency off-airport landing, and a nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072306), [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 170B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072306), [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 170B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during a night flight, in his tailwheel ski-equipped airplane, weather conditions began to deteriorate, and he elected to navigate to a nearby airport, with an estimated 20-minute fuel reserve upon his arrival. Once at the intended airport, he was unable to activate the runway lights via the pilot-controlled lighting and diverted to an alternate airport approximately 35 miles away. About 10 nautical miles from the alternate airport, the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. Subsequently, he made an emergency landing to an off-airport field. During the emergency landing the ski-equipped airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. 14 Code of Federal Regulation 91.151 Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions, states in part: (a) No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed- (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes. 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, during a night flight, in his tailwheel ski-equipped airplane, weather conditions began to deteriorate, and he elected to navigate to a nearby airport, with an estimated 20-minute fuel reserve upon his arrival. Once at the intended airport, he was unable to activate the runway lights via the pilot-controlled lighting and diverted to an alternate airport approximately 35 miles away. About 10 nautical miles from the alternate airport, the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. Subsequently, he made an emergency landing to an off-airport field. During the emergency landing the ski-equipped airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. 14 Code of Federal Regulation 91.151 Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions, states in part: (a) No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed- (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4667C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4667C-2022-06-04), registration cancelled 2022-06-04, S/N 25611, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170 (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25611 - Year built: 1953 - Airframe hours: 3966.9 - Engines: Continental C145-2 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 14, 2018 - Departed: Fairbanks, AK - Destination: FAI, Fairbanks, AK - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,200 total, 250 in this make and model, 2,100 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,100 ft overcast - Temperature: -2 °F, dew point -8 °F - Altimeter: 28.94 inHg - Observed at: PAFA, 11 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 20191231017659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191231017659A), Dec 31, 2019: Cessna 170B, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. 12/31/2019 0950L aircraft called fai tower ATC in the blind they crashed 10 s/w of the airport. 2 POB; no injuries. Sar was launched from pafb to rescue pilot… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 3, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100755. 6.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9000071&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident picture (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 129 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8999422&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Picture-Rel.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.