- Date
- August 30, 2017, 16:42 local (Aug 31, 2017, 00:42 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2996SCessna 150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170830017489A
- Case key
- 96039
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot’s inadequate in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, the subsequent total loss of engine power, and a forced off-airport landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that, on a cross-country flight, she diverted to a closer airport because the airplane was low on fuel. She added that she executed a go-around after a high approach, but when she advanced the throttle forward, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. She then landed the airplane straight ahead in brush. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane had less than the 3.5 unusable gallons of fuel. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that on a cross country flight she diverted to a closer airport because the airplane was low on fuel. She added that she executed a go-around after a high approach, but when she advanced the throttle forward, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. She landed the airplane straight ahead in brush. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane had less than the 3.5 unusable gallons of fuel. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2996S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15066896
- Built
- 1967
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200 SERIES, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAHV · Healy, AK
- Destination
- IYS · Wasilla, AK
- Airport
- IYS · Wasilla, runway 22, 3,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 101 total · 64 in this make and model · 18 as pilot in command · 73 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.29 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 15, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.