# NTSB ANC22LA068: Cessna 180, N6577A, Sutton-Alpine, AK, August 12, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 12, 2022, 15:02 local (23:02 UTC) - Place: Sutton-Alpine, AK · 61.757617° -149.022483° ?? - Coordinates: 61.757487, -149.0227 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7575&lon=-149.0227&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 - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 105762 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC22LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105762/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105762 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA068 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## 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 180, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072602), [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; cases with it: [Cessna 180, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 180, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/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 180, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis About two hours into the flight, while at cruise altitude over mountainous terrain, the airplane’s engine sustained a loss of power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and performed a forced landing to a canyon, resulting in substantial damage when the airplane impacted trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel lines and carburetor contained about 2 oz of fuel. The fuel strainer remained undamaged and did not contain any fuel and the fuel tanks contained minimal fuel. The examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he departed on the flight with about 3 hours of fuel. He also stated to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that the airplane was “low” on fuel when the loss of engine power occurred. There were signs of fuel stains on the airplane at the accident site; therefore, it is possible that fuel leaked the from tanks while the airplane sat at the accident site. However, since there was no fuel found in the undamaged fuel strainer, it is likely that the pilot did not have as much fuel onboard as he thought, and that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. ## Factual narrative On August 12, 2022, at 1502 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180 airplane, N6577A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sutton-Alpine, Alaska. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he departed from his home airport, Anderson Lake Airport (0AK1), Wasilla, Alaska, about 1300 with 37 gallons of fuel onboard. About two hours into the flight, while at 7,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine lost total power, and he assumed it was due to fuel starvation. He was unable to restart the engine and maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a canyon. The airplane impacted trees and brush and came to rest upright in a nose-low attitude. The pilot later reported that before the flight he had fueled the airplane from his personal 500-gallon fuel tank, and that the airplane had about three hours of fuel for the two-hour flight. The responding FAA inspectors reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and horizontal stabilizer. Initial postaccident examination of the engine revealed no signs of a catastrophic failure or an oil leak. The throttle and mixture control linkages were intact and operational from cockpit controls to the carburetor. The main fuel line to carburetor was removed and fuel was present. The main fuel shutoff valve in the cockpit was selected from OFF to BOTH and about 2 oz of fuel drained from the main fuel line. The carburetor was removed; fuel sprayed into to the carburetor venturi when the throttle linkage was moved, which indicated that the fuel accelerator pump was operational. The fuel strainer (gascolator) was disassembled, which revealed a pink-red fuzzy material and some debris on the strainer screen. There was not enough debris to obstruct fuel flow. The fuel strainer remained undamaged and did not contain any fuel. They were unable to determine if any fuel leaked from the fuel tanks at the accident site or during the recovery, but there were signs of fuel staining on the airplane. There was minimal fuel found in the tanks during the examination. The pilot stated to the FAA that, during the emergency descent, he only accomplished a couple of [troubleshooting] items in attempt to restart the engine. The pilot could not recall if he attempted to prime the engine. He also stated to the FAA that he was low on fuel when the engine lost power. A follow-up engine examination was completed by the NTSB. The crankshaft was rotated without issue and suction and compression was obtained from each cylinder. The magnetos produced a spark at each ignition lead as the engine was rotated. The examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6577A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6577A), registered now, S/N 32474, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180 - Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32474 - Year built: 1956 - Airframe hours: 6066.64 - Engines: Continental Motors O-470-50 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Nafus Gifford William - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 10, 2021 - Departed: 0AK1, Wasilla, AK - Destination: 0AK1, Wasilla, AK - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 18, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 10,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command, 156 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: PAAQ, 10 nm away - METAR: PAAQ 122353Z 26005KT 10SM BKN090 17/14 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP094 60000 T01720139 10183 20156 55004 ## 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 20220812014489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220812014489A), Aug 12, 2022: Cessna 180, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. The pilot departed Anderson lake for a pleasure flight with what he thought was three hours of fuel. At approximately two hours into the flight, the aircraft… ## Other investigations on N6577A (1) 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. - [NTSB MIA66D0124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA66D0124), Jul 15, 1965: Cessna 180 (N6577A), Lafayette, GA, substantial damage ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105762. 32.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 7.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17185629&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Correspondence - pilot (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17186754&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Correspondence - FAA examination summary (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17187129&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20-%20FAA%20engine%20exam-Rel.pdf - NTSB engine examination summary (item 4, PDF, 22 pages, 12.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17185245&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N6577A%20engine%20exam%20Oct%2012%202022_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Engine STC (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 426 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17187512&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20STC_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17185199&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mx%20logs_Redacted-Rel.pdf - GPS track (plot) (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 916 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17187676&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=GPS%20flight%20track%20images-Rel.pdf - Tabular GPS data provided by the pilot (item 8, CSV, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17187201&FileExtension=csv&FileName=GPS%20data%20(provided%20by%20pilot)-Rel.csv - Carburetor icing probability graph (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 336 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17188333&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Graph-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17185346&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=wreckage%20release%20signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 11, PDF, 9 pages, 8 photos, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17187211&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20photos-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.