# NTSB CEN20CA181: Cessna 172, N92036, Colchester, IL, May 15, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 15, 2020, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Colchester, IL - Coordinates: 40.45111, -90.790832 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4511&lon=-90.7908&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101290 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101290/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101290 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA181 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight of the fuel quantity which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during cruise flight. ## 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: [Cessna 172M, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft inspection event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 229 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/050/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that he checked the fuel tanks prior to takeoff. It was dark in the hangar where he used a wire to check the fuel level in the fuel tanks. He was not wearing his glasses and he thought he had "an inch or so" of fuel. The pilot thought that was enough fuel and departed on a cross country flight. During the flight, the engine "sputtered" and lost power. The pilot turned the airplane towards the destination airport but lost airspeed, so he lowered the airplane's nose and conducted a forced landing into the trees below. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial empennage, fuselage, and wing damage. The fuel tanks were empty and there was no fuel odor anywhere at the accident scene. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane during the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N92036](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N92036-2023-03-04), registration cancelled 2023-03-04, S/N 17261541, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (M) - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17261541 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 3948 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 3, 2019 - Departed: IL84, Colusa, IL - Destination: MQB, Macomb, IL - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 1, 2018; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 942 total, 942 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KMQB, 8 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 20200515004849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200515004849A), May 15, 2020: Cessna 172M, Colchester, IL, Substantial damage. The pilot stated he departed IL84 (Douglas private airport) in N92036, a Cessna 172M, to purchase fuel at the macomb municipal airport (kmqb). The pilot… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101290. 811 KB in all. - Memorandum for Record – Pilot -- J Nixon (item 1, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485894&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Pilot%20--%20J%20Nixon-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Communication Summary -- Inspector K Krongos (item 2, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485895&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Communication%20Summary%20--%20Inspector%20K%20Krongos-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 691 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485896&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.