- Date
- October 12, 2011, 18:48 local (23:48 UTC)
- Place
- Skiatook, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6171BCessna 182A
- Defining event
- Approach: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Oklahoma City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111012026329A
- Case key
- 82050
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel management.
Findings · 2
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 he was descending to land after his final flight of the day. The airplane was about 1,500 to 1,700 feet above ground level and about 1.25 miles from the airport when the engine lost total power. The pilot made an emergency landing to an open field, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that the fuel gauges were unreliable, that he had incorrectly estimated the fuel quantity remaining, and that the loss of engine power was due to him running out of fuel. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed 1 to 2 gallons of fuel remaining in each fuel tank.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he had dropped a group of skydivers and was descending to land after his final flight of the day. The airplane was about 1,500 to 1,700 feet above ground level, and about 1 1/4 miles from the airport when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made an emergency off field landing to an open field and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that the fuel gauges were unreliable and he had incorrectly estimated the fuel quantity remaining. He also reported that he thought the loss of engine power was due to him running out of fuel. A postaccident examination of the airplane showed 1 to 2 gallons of fuel remaining in each fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6171B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34171
- Airframe hours
- 3,988
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Operator
- Skydive Airtight
- Registered owner
- Skydive Airtight
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 19, 2011 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- 2F6 · Skiatook, OK
- Destination
- 2F6 · Skiatook, OK
- Airport
- 2F6 · Skiatook Municipal Airport, runway 17, 2,900 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 13, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 330 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 15 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- KTUL, 12 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 8, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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.
Other investigations on N6171B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.