# NTSB GAA18CA419: Cessna 152, N89887, Panama City, FL, June 30, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 30, 2018, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Panama City, FL - Coordinates: 30.3525, -85.84111 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3525&lon=-85.8411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97753 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA419 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97753/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97753 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA419 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent 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 152, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071835), [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 152, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, 15 minutes into a cross-country flight, the airplane's engine lost rpm. He added power, and the engine regained rpm briefly before losing all power. The pilot selected a dirt road for an emergency landing, during which the nose landing gear touched down on a soft surface, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings and the front windshield. The pilot reported that the airplane had 4.5 gallons of fuel on board at the last takeoff. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, during postaccident examination of the airplane, the fuel tanks were found empty. The gascolator had residual fuel, and about 1 gallon of fuel was removed from the fuselage fuel drain. He added that, according to the manufacturer's specifications, the airplane should have had 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel. He turned on the airplane's master power switch to view the fuel quantity gauge indications, and the left-wing tank gauge indicated between empty and a quarter full with no fuel in the tank, and the right-wing fuel tank gauge indicated empty. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, 15 minutes into a cross-country flight, the airplane's engine lost rpm. He added power and the engine regained rpm briefly, before losing all power. The pilot selected a dirt road for an emergency landing. Subsequently, during landing on a dirt road, the nose landing gear touched down on a soft surface, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported on the NTSB form 6120.1 that the airplane had 4.5 gallons of fuel on board at the last takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings, and the front windshield. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, during the postaccident examination of the airplane, the fuel tanks were found empty. The gascolator had residual fuel, and about 1 gallon of fuel was removed from the fuselage fuel drain. He added that according to the manufacturer's specifications the accident airplane should have 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel. He turned on the airplane's master power switch to view the fuel quantity gauge indications, and the left-wing tank gauge indicated between empty and a quarter full with no fuel in the tank, and the right-wing fuel tank gauge indicated empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N89887](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N89887), registered now, S/N 15282904, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 (No Series) - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15282904 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 6735.7 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L26 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 26, 2017 - Departed: DTS, Destin, FL - Destination: ECP, Panama City, FL - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 25, 2018; seat: left; flight hours: 198 total, 67 in this make and model, 134 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 79 °F - Observed at: KECP, 3 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 20180630015799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180630015799A), Jun 30, 2018: Cessna 152, Panama City, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot experienced a loss of RPM and a rough running engine after initiating a shallow descent from 2000 feet. Pilot was unable to regain RPM after adjusting… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97753. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 873 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467769&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Picture (item 2, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467770&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Picture-Master.PDF - FAA Statement (item 3, .PDF, 412 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Master.PDF - Recovery ROC (item 4, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recovery%20ROC-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.