# NTSB ERA14CA206: Cessna 172I, N35553, Huntsville, AL, April 22, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 21, 2014, 20:20 local (Apr 22, 2014, 01:20 UTC)
- Place: Huntsville, AL
- Coordinates: 34.639999, -86.779998
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6400&lon=-86.7800&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 2, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89098
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA206
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89098/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89098
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA206

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.

## 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: [Cessna 172I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072426), [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: [Cessna 172I, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072426), [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.

- [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot departed on the two-hour flight with the fuel quantity gauge of each fuel tank indicating about half full, but did not otherwise verify the quantity of fuel present in the tanks prior to the flight. Approximately 20 minutes from the destination airport, the left fuel tank gauge indicated between empty and one-quarter full, and the right tank gauge indicated one-quarter full. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine began to "sputter" and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot moved the fuel selector to the right tank, but engine power was not restored. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to the grass short of the runway, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained no fuel, and the right tank contained approximately one half of a pint of fuel. The tanks were not damaged during the accident sequence, and there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the scene. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The pilot departed on the two-hour flight with the fuel quantity gauge of each fuel tank indicating about half full, but did not otherwise verify the quantity of fuel present in the tanks prior to the flight. Approximately 20 minutes from the destination airport, the left fuel tank gauge indicated between empty and one-quarter full, and the right tank gauge indicated one-quarter full. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine began to "sputter" and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot moved the fuel selector to the right tank, but engine power was not restored. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to the grass short of the runway, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained no fuel, and the right tank contained approximately one half of a pint of fuel. The tanks were not damaged during the accident sequence, and there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the scene. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N35553](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35553), registered now, S/N 17256830, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172I
- Registry model: [Cessna 172I](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172i) (registry code 2072426) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17256830
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 10314
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity, BLDG 4828
- Registered owner: Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity, BLDG 4828
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 20, 2013
- Departed: EDN, Enterprise, AL
- Destination: HSV, Huntsville, AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: HSV, Huntsville International, runway 18R, 12,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private, commercial, military; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,500 total, 78 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observed at: HSV

## 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 20140421004609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140421004609A), Apr 21, 2014: Cessna 172I, Huntsville, AL, Substantial damage. Aircraft crash-landed on short final approach in an open field left of runway 18R at hsv airport. The nose wheel experienced a hard stop causing the airplane…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89098. 3.5 MB in all.

- Memorandum for Record – FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 1, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415282&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 – Damage to fuselage (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415283&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Damage%20to%20fuselage%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 – Firewall damage (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415284&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20Firewall%20damage%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.

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