# NTSB ERA23LA018: Cessna 310, N62368, Middlefield, OH, October 13, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 13, 2022, 09:30 UTC - Place: Middlefield, OH - Coordinates: 41.460796, -81.075451 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4608&lon=-81.0755&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106123 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106123/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106123 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA018 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning and inflight fuel management which resulted in exhaustion of his fuel supply and a forced landing. ## 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 310R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2074245), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 310R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2074245), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 310R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2074245), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed on the fifth and final leg of the evening’s flights with no cargo and an unknown quantity of fuel. He reported that he had to deviate due to weather along the route of flight, and that the right engine began running rough after reaching cruise altitude. About 2.2 hours into the planned 2-hour flight, and about 25 miles from the destination airport, both of the airplane’s engines began “surging” and eventually “stopped producing power.” The pilot stated that he looked at the fuel gauges and they indicated empty. The pilot completed a forced landing to horse pastures, during which the airplane impacted fences, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage. There was no evidence of fuel, fuel spillage, or odor of fuel at the scene. The pilot stated that the accident flight was longer than planned due to headwinds and weather diversions. The pilot also explained that there were known discrepancies with the fuel gauges. He also described that there had been a difference between the amount of fuel he requested at one fuel stop, what was actually dispensed, and the total amount he believed was on board when he departed on the accident flight, as he did not get a receipt, or confirm the amount dispensed. Based on the pilot’s own fuel planning numbers, full tanks at initial departure, and the fuel purchased at 2 of his 4 stops, the airplane had a fuel endurance of about 6.8 hours, of which .8 hours was for IFR reserve minimums. The total time of the 5 legs was approximately 7.2 hours. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62368](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62368-2024-01-27), registration cancelled 2024-01-27, S/N 310R0131, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 310 (R) - Registry model: [Cessna 310R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r) (registry code 2074245) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 310R0131 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 12370 - Engines: Continental IO-520-MB 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-520-MB 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 135 - Operator: Air Z Flying Services Inc - Registered owner: Air Z Flying Services Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 6, 2022 - Departed: MMU, Morristown, NJ - Destination: CGF, Richmond Heights, OH - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: 7G8 - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 21, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 24,600 total, 162 in this make and model, 18,479 as pilot in command, 96.3 in the last 90 days, 6.7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.66 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: CGF, 2 nm away - METAR: METAR KCGF 130935Z AUTO 10SM BKN010 BKN017 OVC022 12/11 A2966 RMK AO2 T01250111 ## 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 20221013013829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221013013829A), Oct 13, 2022: Cessna 310R, Middlefield, OH, Substantial damage. On October 13, 2022, the pilot of the aircraft performed an emergency landing on a farm field in Middlefield, Ohio at approximately 0535 local time. The… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106123. 7.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15740052&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15739560&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=PIC%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA pilot interview summary (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 286 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15753676&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Pilot%20Interview%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's memorandum for record (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15771560&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Memorandum%20for%20Record-Rel.pdf - Fuel receipts (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15753346&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Receipts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photographs (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 544 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15740725&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA018-Rel.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.