# NTSB GAA17CA230: Cessna 180, N7945V, Manchester, CA, April 12, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 12, 2017, 10:51 local (17:51 UTC) - Place: Manchester, CA - Coordinates: 38.973609, -123.708885 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9736&lon=-123.7089&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Continental Motors, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 94999 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA230 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94999/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94999 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA230 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the total loss of engine power. ## 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 180H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072618), [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 180H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, the engine "quit" while at 1,500 ft above ground level. He added that he landed the airplane in a large, flat pasture, but during the landing, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and wings. In a telephone conversation with the recovery specialist, the pilot reported that the fuel tanks had not been breached during the landing, and he recovered 1.5 gallons of fuel from the right fuel tank and 2.5 gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank. The airplane was equipped with an engine monitoring unit. About 1 hour 13 minutes of data were recorded during the accident flight. The data showed a sudden decrease in exhaust gas temperatures and cylinder head temperatures for all cylinders about the same time. For further information, see the JPI Engine Monitoring Unit data plot in the public docket for this accident. The 1967 Cessna 180 Owner's Manual states, in part: "2.5 gallons [in] each tank [is] unusable in normal flight maneuvers." ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, the engine "quit" while at 1500 ft above the ground. He added that he landed the airplane in a large, flat pasture, but during the landing the airplane nosed over. In a telephone conversation with the recovery specialist, he reported that the fuel tanks had not been breached during the landing, and he recovered 1.5 gallons of fuel from the right fuel tank and 2.5 gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank. The airplane was equipped with a J. P. Instruments (JPI) engine monitoring unit. The data downloaded from the unit revealed that on the accident flight, the recorded data spanned about 1 hour and 13 minutes. The data showed a sudden decrease in exhaust gas temperatures (EGT) and cylinder head temperatures (CHT) for all cylinders about the same time. For further information, see the JPI Engine Monitoring Unit data plot within the public docket for this accident. The 1967 Cessna 180 Owner's Manual states, in part: "2.5 gallons each tank unusable in normal flight maneuvers." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7945V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7945V), registered now, S/N 18051845, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180 (H) - Registry model: [Cessna 180H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180h) (registry code 2072618) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18051845 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 5144.59 - Engines: Continental O-470-50 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 13, 2017 - Departed: EKA, EUREKA, CA - Destination: O69, PETALUMA, CA - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 26, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,332.5 total, 602.7 in this make and model, 1,332.5 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: 89Q, 2 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 20170412016499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170412016499A), Apr 12, 2017: Cessna 180H, Manchester, CA, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed from murray field (eureka ,CA enroute to petaluma,CA. (069)pilot at cruise speed heading south noticed the weather deteriorating and realized… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94999. 6.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456730&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - JPI Print Out (item 2, .PDF, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456731&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=JPI%20Print%20Out-Master.PDF - Record of Phone Conversation (Plain Parts) (item 3, .PDF, 454 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456732&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Phone%20Conversation%20(Plain%20Parts)-Master.PDF - Signed NTSB Party (item 4, .PDF, 274 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456733&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Signed%20NTSB%20Party-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 1 photo, 437 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456734&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Cessna 180 Owner's Manual (item 6, .PDF, 259 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456735&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20180%20Owner%27s%20Manual-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.