# NTSB ANC25LA116: Socata TBM 700, N101NX, Alpine, WY, September 28, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 27, 2025, 19:25 local (Sep 28, 2025, 01:25 UTC)
- Place: Alpine, WY · open field
- Coordinates: 43.10754, -111.03175
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1075&lon=-111.0318&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: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 22, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201756
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC25LA116
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201756/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201756
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA116

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent off airport landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md)
- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=8682000), [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: [Socata TBM 700, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Socata TBM 700, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=8682000), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was unable to determine actual amount of fuel on board the airplane. For his fuel planning he used indicated fuel amounts from the airplane’s analog fuel gauges as the input data for an electronic fuel planner and relied on the electronic fuel planner to track how much fuel was onboard the airplane. As they approached their destination, the airplane’s CAS (crew alerting system) began to display warnings for low fuel, and the pilot prepared for an emergency off-field landing. Subsequently, the engine experienced a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot then conducted a forced landing to an open field, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N101NX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N101NX-2026-03-18), registration cancelled 2026-03-18, S/N 309, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SOCATA TBM 700
- Registry model: [Socata TBM 700](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tbm-700) (registry code 8682000) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-64) (registry code 52070, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 309
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 3458.3
- Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-64 700 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Venture Pilots Association LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: August 1, 2025
- Departed: KGPI, Kalispell, MT
- Destination: 46U, Alpine, WY
- Airport: 46U
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 18, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,831 total, 318 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observed at: KJAC, 32 nm away
- METAR: METAR KJAC 280058Z 31004KT 10SM CLR 18/01 A3007=

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201756. 5.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 14 pages, 4.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19500774&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC25LA116%206120%20comb_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 634 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19500820&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC25LA116%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.

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