# NTSB CEN14CA303: Piper PA 28-180, N66AS, Port Isabel, TX, June 18, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 18, 2014, 15:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Port Isabel, TX - Coordinates: 26.182222, -97.352775 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1822&lon=-97.3528&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report August 14, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 89486 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14CA303 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89486/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89486 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA303 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper inflight planning and reliance of fuel gauge readings, which resulted in 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: [Piper PA-28-180, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102808), [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: [Piper PA-28-180, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102808), [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: [Piper PA-28-180, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7102808), [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. - [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7102808), [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: [Piper PA-28-180, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot checked weather and requested that the airplane be serviced with full fuel before the cross-country flight. Fuel receipts show the airplane was serviced with 34.5 gallons. The airplane's fuel capacity was 50 gallons. He performed a preflight inspection of the airplane to include confirming that its fuel tanks were full. About an hour after takeoff, the pilot checked the fuel gages, which indicated that less than 10 gallons was used. About two hours after takeoff, they indicated that less than 20 gallons was used. About three hours after takeoff, the gages indicated that 28 gallons was used. The pilot indicated that he would have stopped for fuel if there were less than 17 gallons of fuel remaining at that point in the flight. The pilot continued the flight and estimated the airplane had 12 gallons of fuel remaining when it was 17 miles from the destination. He reported that the left tank fuel pressure decreased with 2.5 gallons showing on the gauge prompting a switch to the right tank, which showed 6 gallons remaining. About nine miles from the destination and 1,000 feet above the ground, the airplane flew through brief moderate turbulence. The right fuel tank level dropped to zero fuel within a minute along with a drop in fuel pressure. The pilot started to switch from tank to tank trying to use all the fuel in the tanks. When the airplane lost engine power, he selected a field and performed a forced landing about four hours and ten minutes after departure. The airplane sustained substantial fuselage damage during the forced landing. No fuel leaks were found during the airplane recovery. The left fuel tank contained about one cup of fuel and the right tank did not contain any fuel. A flight-planning chart in the airplane's manual indicated that the airplane should burn ten gallons per hour with a lean mixture. According to the Federal Aviation Administration publication, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, "aircraft certification rules require accuracy in fuel gauges only when they read 'empty.' Any reading other than 'empty' should be verified. Do not depend solely on the accuracy of the fuel quantity gauges." ## Factual narrative The pilot checked weather and requested that the airplane be serviced with full fuel before the cross-country flight. Fuel receipts show the airplane was serviced with 34.5 gallons. The airplane's fuel capacity was 50 gallons. He performed a preflight inspection of the airplane to include confirming that its fuel tanks were full. About an hour after takeoff, the pilot checked the fuel gages, which indicated that less than 10 gallons was used. About two hours after takeoff, they indicated that less than 20 gallons was used. About three hours after takeoff, the gages indicated that 28 gallons was used. The pilot indicated that he would have stopped for fuel if there were less than 17 gallons of fuel remaining at that point in the flight. The pilot continued the flight and estimated the airplane had 12 gallons of fuel remaining when it was 17 miles from the destination. He reported that the left tank fuel pressure decreased with 2.5 gallons showing on the gauge prompting a switch to the right tank, which showed 6 gallons remaining. About nine miles from the destination and 1,000 feet above the ground, the airplane flew through brief moderate turbulence. The right fuel tank level dropped to zero fuel within a minute along with a drop in fuel pressure. The pilot started to switch from tank to tank trying to use all the fuel in the tanks. When the airplane lost engine power, he selected a field and performed a forced landing about four hours and ten minutes after departure. The airplane sustained substantial fuselage damage during the forced landing. No fuel leaks were found during the airplane recovery. The left fuel tank contained about one cup of fuel and the right tank did not contain any fuel. A flight-planning chart in the airplane's manual indicated that the airplane should burn ten gallons per hour with a lean mixture. According to the Federal Aviation Administration publication, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, "aircraft certification rules require accuracy in fuel gauges only when they read 'empty.' Any reading other than 'empty' should be verified. Do not depend solely on the accuracy of the fuel quantity gauges." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N66AS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N66AS-2018-03-15), registration cancelled 2018-03-15, S/N 28-4939, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-4939 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 174 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 18, 2013 - Departed: ABI, ABILENE, TX - Destination: PIL, Port Isabel, TX - Airport: PIL, Port Isabel-Cameron County, runway 13, 8,001 × 200 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 4, 2013; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 135 total, 47 in this make and model, 97 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 21 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KPIL, 1 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 20140618009979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140618009979A), Jun 18, 2014: Piper PA-28-180, Port Isabel, TX, Substantial damage. Airman fueled with 34.5 gallons (50 gallon capacity, 48 usable) at departure airport on the date of the accident flight. According to ATC records, airman… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 23, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89486. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414294&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Communication Summary (item 2, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414295&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Communication%20Summary-Master.PDF - Fuel Receipt (item 3, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414296&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Fuel%20Receipt-Redacted.PDF - Excerpt From POH (item 4, .PDF, 215 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414297&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20From%20POH-Master.PDF - Excerpt From PHAK - Chapter 06 (item 5, .PDF, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414298&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20From%20PHAK%20-%20Chapter%2006-Master.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.