# NTSB ERA11CA352: Piper PA18-160, N177SC, Ridgeville, SC, June 19, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 18, 2011, 23:45 local (Jun 19, 2011, 03:45 UTC) - Place: Ridgeville, SC - Coordinates: 33.091667, -80.309448 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0917&lon=-80.3094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 80856 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA352 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/80856/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80856 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA352 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7101835), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7101835), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7101835), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA18-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7101835), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he filled the airplane's fuel tanks to capacity, a total of 36 gallons, prior to departing on the flight to the banner-tow site, which was approximately 2 hours away. After picking up the banner, he flew the banner for about 35 minutes before dropping it back at the airport. He then departed to an airport approximately 27 miles away in order to refuel the airplane. After landing at the airport, the pilot found the fuel pump locked and departed to a second airport approximately 20 miles away. The pilot stated that the weather began to deteriorate and he decided to turn around. The pilot then elected to divert to a third airport. Approximately 7 miles from the airport, the airplane’s engine lost all power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a railroad track and, during the landing rollout, the airplane's right wing impacted a pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. After a Federal Aviation Administration inspector supplied fuel to the engine during a postaccident examination, the engine started and ran with no anomalies. The pilot stated that he ran out of fuel. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he filled the airplane's fuel tanks to capacity, a total of 36 gallons, prior to departing on the flight to the banner tow site, which was approximately 2 hours away. After picking up the banner, he flew the banner for about 35 minutes before dropping it back at the airport. He then departed to an airport approximately 27 miles away in order to refuel the airplane. After landing at the airport, the pilot found the fuel pump locked and departed to a second airport approximately 20 miles away. The pilot stated that the weather began to deteriorate, and he decided to turn around. The pilot then elected to divert to a third airport. Approximately seven miles from the airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a railroad track, and during the landing rollout, the airplane's right wing impacted a pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. During postaccident examination of the airplane, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector plumbed fuel to the engine, after which it started and ran with no anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N177SC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N177SC), registered now, S/N 18-7709165, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18-160 - Registry model: [Piper PA18-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa18-160) (registry code 7101835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7709165 - Airframe hours: 5822 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Atlanta Aerial Billboards - Registered owner: H. Gould Barret - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, March 30, 2011 - Departed: LZU, Lawrenceville, GA - Destination: 6J2, St. George, GA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 5, 2011; seat: front; flight hours: 1,500 total, 1,300 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: DYB, 3 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 20110618013349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110618013349A), Jun 18, 2011: Piper PA18-160, Ridgeville, SC, Substantial damage. On June 18, 2011, at approximately 2145L EDT, a Piper PA18-160, N177SC, operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage when the pilot made a… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80856. 276 KB in all. - Memorandum for Record - NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351330&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351331&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351332&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-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.