# NTSB CEN24LA102: Cessna 172, N8805Z, Terrell, TX, January 30, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 29, 2024, 22:50 local (Jan 30, 2024, 04:50 UTC) - Place: Terrell, TX · Field north of the airport. - Coordinates: 32.722809, -96.266826 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7228&lon=-96.2668&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report October 22, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA North Texas FSDO, Textron Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 193724 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193724/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193724 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA102 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power during the initial climb 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 172H, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed about 3 hours before the accident for the purpose of building flight time. He performed one landing, taxi back, and takeoff at an airport en route, then landed at another airport after its published attended hours, intending to refuel the airplane. The pilot was unable to refuel due to his mistaken belief that the airport had self-service fuel pumps that were “out of order.” (The airport had no self-service pumps, but an unused underground fuel farm was marked with signage indicating it was out of order.) Airport personnel indicated that they provided after-hours fueling service upon request but that they did not receive any such request on the evening of the accident. The pilot stated that he checked the remaining fuel on board with a fuel measurement stick and that the right wing fuel tank had about 4 gallons of fuel and the left wing fuel tank had about 12 gallons of fuel. The pilot decided to fly to a different airport to refuel the airplane. Shortly after takeoff, about 400 to 450 ft above ground level, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat field with trees, and the airplane came to rest upright. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage and the engine was separated from the firewall. After the forced landing, the pilot reported that he observed a “steady stream” of fuel leaking from the “left side.” However, during the wreckage recovery operations recovery personnel found about 2 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank and about 0.25 gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank. (The unusable fuel quantity for each wing fuel tank was 0.5 gallon.) There were no visible signs of fuel leakage on the airframe or on the ground. Postaccident examination revealed that the wing fuel tanks were not breached and that the fuel system was intact from the tanks to the fuel strainer inlet line at the firewall. Testing of the left and right fuel tank quantity transmitters with a multimeter revealed that both were out of the manufacturer’s specifications; this would result in erroneous fuel indications on the cockpit fuel quantity gauges. No mechanical anomaly was noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the low quantity of fuel recovered from the airplane at the accident site and the lack of evidence of any fuel leakage, it is implausible that that the airplane had 16 gallons on board at the time of takeoff, as the pilot reported. It is likely that the pilot based his fuel quantity assessment on viewing erroneous fuel quantity indications during the flight, and that the total loss of engine power resulted from fuel exhaustion. During the postaccident examination of the airplane, the fuel selector valve was found to be installed incorrectly, such that manipulation of the fuel selector handle in the cockpit resulted in opposite positioning of the valve; for example, moving the handle to the “left” position opened the valve to the right fuel tankline, and moving the handle to the “both” position closed the valve. ## Factual narrative On January 29, 2024, about 2250 central standard time, a Cessna 172H airplane, N8805Z, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Terrell, Texas. The pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to build flight time. Before the departure from the Arlington Municipal Airport (GKY), Arlington, Texas, the pilot had 12.75 gallons of 100 low lead fuel added to the airplane and he stated that this resulted in both wing fuel tanks being “topped off.” The airplane departed from GKY about 1950, en route to the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas. Upon arrival at GGG, the airplane landed, came to a full stop, and proceeded to back-taxi for takeoff. The airplane departed from GGG about 2120 for the Terrell Municipal Airport (TRL), Terrell, Texas. The airplane landed at TRL about 2230 and came to a full stop. The pilot reported that he attempted to refuel the airplane but the fuel pumps were “out of order.” The pilot said that he then checked the remaining fuel on board with a fuel measurement stick, and the right wing fuel tank had about 4 gallons of fuel, and the left wing fuel tank had about 12 gallons of fuel. The pilot decided to fly to the Mesquite Metro Airport (HQZ), Mesquite, Texas, to refuel the airplane instead. The pilot stated that, after starting the engine, he noticed that the airplane had a “rough sounding” or “weak” idle with the throttle at the idle cutoff position but that the engine sounded stronger when the throttle was advanced. The pilot stated that he then taxied the airplane and performed the pretakeoff engine run-up using the checklist. Shortly after taking off from runway 18, when the airplane was about 400 to 450 ft above ground level, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot successfully restarted the engine, but it immediately lost total power again. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat field with trees, and the airplane came to rest upright. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage and the engine was separated from the firewall. After the forced landing, the pilot reported that he observed a “steady stream” of fuel leaking from the “left side.” During the wreckage recovery operation, recovery personnel found about 2 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank and about 0.25 gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank. Both fuel tank caps were found installed, and the fuel selector handle was found in the both position. There were no visible signs of fuel leakage on the airframe or on the ground. Postaccident examination revealed that the wing fuel tanks were not breached and that the fuel system was intact from the tanks to the fuel strainer inlet line at the firewall. Testing of the left and right fuel tank quantity transmitters with a multimeter revealed that the resistance values were not within themanufacturer’s specifications. No mechanical anomaly was noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a fuel selector handle in the cockpit labeled “left,” “right,” “both,” and “off” to enable the pilot to select that the fuel be supplied from the left, right, or both wing fuel tanks, respectively, or to turn the fuel supply off. By design, when the fuel selector handle is manipulated by the pilot, it mechanically moves the position of the valve. Postaccident testing revealed fuel selector valve moved when the fuel selector handle was manipulated by hand, but the detents in each position were weak. Testing of the fuel selector valve included blowing compressed through the fuel strainer inlet line at the firewall with the fuel selector handle at each of its four positions and observing the resultant air flow behavior at the left and right fuel tank lines. The testing revealed that the fuel selector valve was installed 180° from the correct orientation. That is, when the fuel selector handle was in the “left” position, the valve was open to the right fuel tank line, and when the handle was in the “right” position, the valve was open to the left tank line. Likewise, when the fuel selector handle was in the “both” position, the valve was off, and when the fuel selector handle was in the “off” position, the valve was open to both wing fuel tank lines. Based upon a review of the airframe maintenance records, it was undetermined when the fuel selector valve was installed incorrectly; there was no record of any recent work having been performed on the valve. In response to follow-up questions, the pilot reported that, during the flight from GGG to TRL, he had the fuel selector positioned to the left tank for about 50 minutes then moved it to the both position before landing and before the accident takeoff. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Cessna released Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB99-18 Revision 1, Fuel Quantity Indicating Systems Inspection, on April 30, 2001. The document, which is mandatory per Cessna, was applicable to the accident make and model airplane. The document discussed the purposes of the inspection, which was to be performed every 12 months, and stated, in part: To inspect the fuel quantity indicating system for verification that each fuel tank quantity gauge indicates empty when the fuel tank contains only unusable fuel and indicates full when the fuel tank is fuel. Noncompliance with this service bulletin may result in an incorrect fuel quantity indication. Failure to resolve incorrect fuel quantity indications as well as improper preflight inspections and inflight planning by the pilot could allow depletion of the airplane fuel supply and subsequent loss of engine power. The FAA does not mandate compliance with manufacturer’s service bulletins for 14 CFR Part 91 operations. A review of the airframe maintenance records did not find any annotation of work performed in relation to SEB99-18Revision 1 in the 12 months before the most recent annual inspection, which was performed on January 25, 2024. According to information provided by airport personnel, the airport did not have self-service fuel pumps; all fueling operations were conducted with a fuel truck and a technician. To request after-hours fuel services (after 2000 local time), pilots could call a telephone number listed on the airport website and in the FAA Chart Supplement information for TRL. Airport personnel received no after-hours fueling request for the evening of the accident. An underground fuel farm on the airport property that was no longer in use had signage indicating that it was out of order. Per the Owner’s Manual for the Cessna 172H, the airplane’s total fuel capacity was 39 gallons, or 19.5 gallons per wing fuel tank, with 0.5 gallon unusable fuel per tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8805Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8805Z-2026-01-17), registration cancelled 2026-01-17, S/N 17255455, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (H) - Registry model: [Cessna 172H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (registry code 2072424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17255455 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 8849.9 - Engines: Continental Motors O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Genesis Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 25, 2024, 5.27 hours before - Departed: TRL, Terrell, TX - Destination: HQZ, Mesquite, TX - Airport: TRL, Terrell Muni, runway 18/36, 5,006 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 14, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 665 total, 568 as pilot in command, 92 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 200° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: KTRL, 1 nm away - METAR: KTRL 300453Z AUTO 20003KT 10SM CLR 10/05 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP229 T01000050 ## 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 20240129001999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240129001999A), Jan 29, 2024: Cessna 172H, Terrell, TX, Destroyed. On 01/29/2024, the aircraft being operated as a private flight the pilot reported that after performing a preflight inspection and run-up per the checklist, he… ## Other investigations on N8805Z (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 IAD00LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD00LA055), Jul 3, 2000: Cessna 172H (N8805Z), Kutztown, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his delay in remedial action. ## Docket (19 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193724. 110 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18809069&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905554&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - recovery operation record of conversation (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810159&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA102%20Lone%20Star%20Retrieval%20-%20MOR-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - pilot emails (item 4, PDF, 9 pages, 208 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18809894&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Emails_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - most recent fuel receipt (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 37.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810109&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Receipt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - flight log (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 7.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905171&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - recent airframe maintenance records (item 7, PDF, 10 pages, 31.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905075&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Recent%20Airframe%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - recent engine maintenance records (item 8, PDF, 6 pages, 19.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905215&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Recent%20Engine%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - recent propeller maintenance records (item 9, PDF, 2 pages, 7.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18904518&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Recent%20Propeller%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N8805Z - NTSB airframe and engine examination report (item 10, PDF, 7 pages, 138 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810169&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA102%20NTSB%20Examination%20Report-Rel.pdf - NTSB materials laboratory - factual email report (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18807163&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA102%20Materials%20Laboratory%20Email-Rel.pdf - NTSB materials laboratory - part release receipt (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18808316&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20-%20Part%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Cessna - 172H owner's manual excerpt (item 13, PDF, 5 pages, 289 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810834&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Cessna%20-%20172H%20Owner%27s%20Manual%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf - Cessna - SEB99-18R1 fuel quantity indicating system inspection (item 14, PDF, 18 pages, 620 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905065&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SEB99-18R1-Rel.pdf - Cessna - pilot safety and warning supplements excerpt (item 15, PDF, 3 pages, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810213&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=PilotSafetySupps_D5139-1-13%20excerpts-Rel.pdf - Terrell municipal airport (trl) - airport information (item 16, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18810260&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=sc_434_25JAN2024-Rel.pdf - Terrell municipal airport (trl) - airport fuel pumps emails (item 17, PDF, 6 pages, 689 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18809738&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=TRL%20Fuel%20Pumps_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 18, PDF, 2 pages, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18808306&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 19, PDF, 1 page, 512 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18809649&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Member%20Form%20-%20Textron%20Aviation_Redacted-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.