# NTSB ERA16CA277: Cessna 172, N288GB, Gray, GA, June 29, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 29, 2016, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Gray, GA
- Coordinates: 33.009723, -83.533889 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0097&lon=-83.5339&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 10, 2017
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/SDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 93718
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16CA277
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93718/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93718
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA277

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to properly manage the available fuel supply, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

## 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 management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot, his passenger, and his 80- to 100-lb dog were on a cross-country flight and had just leveled off at 2,500 ft when the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and made a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a tree and a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank had 15 gallons of fuel in it and that the left tank was empty. The fuel selector valve was found between the "left" and "both" tank positions. The front right seat had been removed before the flight to accommodate the pilot's dog, who sat on the floor during the flight. The pilot said he departed with the fuel selector valve in the "both" position, but during the flight, the dog must have inadvertently moved the valve's handle toward the "left" tank position, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A functional check of the fuel selector valve revealed no mechanical issues, and the valve seated securely into each detent. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The commercial pilot, his passenger, and his 80 to 100 lb dog, were on a cross country flight and had just leveled off at 2,500 ft when the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a field. During the landing the airplane struck a tree and a fence resulting in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank had 15 gallons of fuel in it and the left tank was empty. The fuel selector valve was found between the "left" and "both" tank positions. The front right seat had been removed prior to the flight to accommodate the pilot's dog, who sat on the floor during the flight. The pilot said he departed with the fuel selector valve in the "both" position but during the flight the dog must have inadvertently moved the valve's handle toward the "left" tank position, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A functional check of the fuel selector valve revealed no mechanical issues and the valve seated securely into each detent. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the engine at the time of the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N288GB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N288GB-2016-12-02), registration cancelled 2016-12-02, S/N 17249244, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172c) (registry code 2072408) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17249244
- Year built: 1962
- Airframe hours: 3456
- Engines: Continental O-300-D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 5, 2016, 69 hours before
- Departed: APT, Jasper, TN
- Destination: MAC, Macon, GA
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2016; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,767 total, 43 in this make and model, 1,652 as pilot in command, 172 in the last 90 days, 17.7 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93718. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450273&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Photos (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 3 photos, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450274&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector - Written Statement (item 3, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450275&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20-%20Written%20Statement-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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