# NTSB CHI07CA263: Cessna 180, N2311C, Princeton, MN, August 11, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 10, 2007, 20:35 local (Aug 11, 2007, 01:35 UTC) - Place: Princeton, MN - Coordinates: 45.559722, -93.608055 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5597&lon=-93.6081&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 66639 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07CA263 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66639/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA263 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight. A factor was the fuel siphoning from the right fuel tank. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fluid,fuel - siphoning (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, pilot in command - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after the loss of engine power during cruise. The pilot reported that he had stopped at an en route airport to refuel prior to continuing to his final destination airport. He had the lineman at the fixed base operator add 7 gallons of fuel to each wing tank for a total of 14 gallons. The pilot reported that the lineman placed the fueling ladder on his truck and the pilot went in to pay the bill. The pilot did not check the tanks or the fuel caps after the lineman had added the fuel. The pilot reported that he departed and approximately 1:05 hours of flight later, the airplane's engine stopped running. He reported the fuel indicators showed empty on the left tank, but 1/2 or better on the right tank. The fuel selector was in the BOTH position. He executed a forced landing to a soybean field, but the field was too short and the airplane became airborne again before landing hard in a field. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the right fuel door was open and the filler cap was off and dangling by the chain attached to the filler neck. A fuel stain was observed that went from the filler neck to the trailing edge of the right flap. The left and right fuel tanks were empty. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he had stopped at an en route airport to refuel prior to continuing to his final destination airport. He had the lineman at the fixed base operator add 7 gallons of fuel to each wing tank for a total of 14 gallons. The pilot reported that the lineman placed the fueling ladder on his truck and the pilot went in to pay the bill. The pilot did not check the tanks or the fuel caps after the lineman had added the fuel. The pilot reported that he departed and approximately 1:05 hours of flight later, the airplane's engine stopped running. He reported the fuel indicators showed empty on the left tank, but 1/2 or better on the right tank. The fuel selector was in the BOTH position. He executed a forced landing to a soybean field, but the field was too short and the airplane became airborne again before landing hard in a field. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the right fuel door was open and the filler cap was off and dangling by the chain attached to the filler neck. A fuel stain was observed that went from the filler neck to the trailing edge of the right flap. The left and right fuel tanks were empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2311C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2311C), registered now, S/N 30611, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 180 - Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30611 - Engines: Continental O-470-R reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael Hayden/Dave Mills - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: LSE, La Crosse, WI - Destination: PNM, Princeton, MN - Airport: PNM, Princeton Municipal, runway 33 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 24,500 total, 220 in this make and model, 235 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20070810021829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070810021829A), Aug 10, 2007: Cessna 180, Princeton, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that while enroute from lacross, WI to Princeton, MN at about 3 miles south of the Princeton airport the aircraft lost power and he… 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.