# NTSB CHI03LA223: Cessna 172H, N8226L, Red Wing, MN, July 24, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 24, 2003, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Red Wing, MN - Coordinates: 44.589443, -92.485 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5894&lon=-92.4850&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57564 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA223 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57564/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA223 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow the checklist resulting in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - checklist - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - In flight collision with object, emergency landing after takeoff - object - antenna - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing after takeoff - terrain condition - grass ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with a localizer antenna and terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power on initial climb. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector valve handle was set to the right fuel tank. The right fuel tank was empty. The left fuel tank contained about five gallons of fuel. There was no sign of a fuel spill at the scene. The engine produced a thumb compression at all cylinders. Both magnetos sparked. Removed spark plugs exhibited a light gray color. The engine was not test run. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight. A checklist from the airplane stated, "BEFORE TAKE OFF ... Fuel Selector Valve Handle - BOTH." ## Factual narrative On July 24, 2003, about 1110 central daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N8226L, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with a localizer antenna during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power on initial climb out from runway 9 at Red Wing Regional Airport (RGK), near Red Wing, Minnesota. The solo instructional flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight originated from RGK about 1030 and was performing touch and goes at the time of the accident. The student pilot stated: I was doing touch [and] go's. I was taking off for my third touch [and] go when about 100 ft off the ground the engine sputtered. I pulled the throttle back a notch and it started going again so I slowly pushed the throttle back in [and] it died. So I decided to land the plane off of the end of the runway. I descended then realized the localizer antenna was ahead of me. So then I tried to land on the other side of it but was afraid of stalling so then I hit the antenna [and] all three wheels touched but the antenna broke the left wheel [and] the nose went into the ground. The windshield broke [and] I came to a stop. ... I departed Red Wing about 10:30 a.m. [and] was up about 1/2 hour when the engine failure occurred. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the wreckage. He found the fuel selector valve handle set to the right fuel tank. The right fuel tank was empty. The left fuel tank contained about five gallons of fuel. There was no sign of a fuel spill at the scene. The engine produced a thumb compression at all cylinders. Both magnetos sparked. Removed spark plugs exhibited a light gray color. The engine was not test run. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight. A checklist from the airplane stated, "BEFORE TAKE OFF ... Fuel Selector Valve Handle - BOTH." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8226L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8226L-2007-04-10), registration cancelled 2007-04-10, S/N 17256426, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172H - 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: 17256426 - Engines: Continental O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael R. Hoeft - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2002, 157 hours before - Departed: RGK, Red Wing, MN - Destination: RGK, Red Wing, MN - Airport: RGK, Red Wing Muni, runway 9, 5,010 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 36 total, 36 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: RGK, 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 20030724016549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030724016549A), Jul 24, 2003: Cessna 172H, Red Wing, MN, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 24, 2003, at 1110 CDT, a Cessna 172 owned by michael hoeft (and co-owners) and operated by drew deleon experienced a loss of power and crashed… ## Other investigations on N8226L (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 ATL93LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL93LA053), Jan 16, 1993: Cessna 172 (N8226L), Palmetto, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE. 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.