# NTSB ERA17LA075: Cessna 172, N3772F, Bridgeport, AL, December 27, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 27, 2016, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Bridgeport, AL - Coordinates: 34.985832, -85.722778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9858&lon=-85.7228&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 27, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94536 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA075 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94536/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94536 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA075 ## Probable cause The pilot's decision to make steep turns to the right while operating on the right fuel tank with low fuel quantity, which led to a loss of engine power due to unporting of the right fuel tank and 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 level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a local personal flight, the airline transport pilot was performing a series of steep turns to the right with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, which contained about 4.5 gallons of fuel. When the airplane rolled out of a steep turn, the engine began to sputter and lose power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane flipped over and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that the loss of engine power was likely the result of fuel starvation due to the low quantity of fuel in the right fuel tank. This likely occurred during the steep turn to the right as the fuel inside the right fuel tank flowed outboard and away from the fuel pickup located on the inboard side of the tank. ## Factual narrative On December 27, 2016, about 1600 central standard time, a Cessna 172H, N3772F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The airline transport pilot was not injured, the passenger sustained minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed Marin County Airport-Brown Field (APT), Jasper, Tennessee. The pilot stated that he departed for a local flight with 11 gallons of fuel, and during the flight he noted that there was more fuel in the right tank than then left. He switched the fuel selector from the BOTH position to the RIGHT position. The pilot then performed a series of steep turns to the right, varying between 45° to 60° of bank, over a relative's house. While rolling out from the steep turns the engine began to surge, sputter, and lose power. After attempting to restart the engine to no avail, he performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. After the accident, the pilot moved the fuel selector back to the BOTH position. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector revealed that the right fuel tank contained about 4.5 gallons of fuel, and the left tank contained about 3.5 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that prior to the loss of engine power, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that the low quantity of fuel in the right fuel tank likely resulted in fuel starvation. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land, as well as a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single, and instrument airplane. He reported 5,572 hours of total flight experience, his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on July 28, 2016. According to a note in the airplane's Owner's Manual under the heading Power Recovery Techniques, "Should power irregularities occur when operating on a single tank, power can be restored by switching to the opposite tank. In addition, the vapor accumulation in the tank on which the power irregularity occurred will rapidly dissipate itself such that that tank will also be available for normal operation after it has been unused for approximately one minute." Review of the airplane's Illustrated Parts Catalog showed that the fuel pickup for both wing-mounted fuel tanks was located at the inboard side of each tank. The weather conditions at Winchester Municipal Airport (BGF), Winchester, Tennessee, located about 20 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, at 0355, included wind 350° at 6 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, overcast at 4,400 ft, temperature 12° C and dew point of 5° C, and altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3772F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3772F-2018-04-25), registration cancelled 2018-04-25, S/N 17255267, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (H) - 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: 17255267 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 3155.16 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-300 SER 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 2016 - Departed: APT, JASPER, TN - Destination: APT, JASPER, TN - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 15, 2016; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 5,572 total, 1,361 in this make and model, 1,361 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: KBGF, 20 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 20161227020729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161227020729A), Dec 27, 2016: Cessna 172H, Bridgeport, AL, Destroyed. Pilot and passenger departed (kapt) for a local flight. Pilot stated that he did not visually check the fuel, but said that his digital fuel totalizer showed… ## Other investigations on N3772F (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 NYC71FHG02](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC71FHG02), Jul 20, 1970: Cessna 172H (N3772F), New Cumberland, PA, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94536. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473167&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473168&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.