# NTSB GAA19CA236: Cessna 172, N3031U, Wasilla, AK, May 1, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 30, 2019, 19:00 local (May 1, 2019, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.599166, -149.450561 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5992&lon=-149.4506&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 20, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA236 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99356/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99356 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA236 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's failure to verify the fuel level, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing and collision with a power line pole. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2072412), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?model=2072412), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072412), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072412), [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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2072412), [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-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2072412), [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) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072412), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172E, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072412), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, during the preflight inspection, he asked the student pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, how much fuel was onboard the airplane and that the student replied that there was enough fuel for about 3 hours of flight. He added that, during the flight, he became concerned about the fuel level because he saw that the right fuel gauge needle displayed "little movement." After a brief conversation with the student about the fuel burn, the instructor decided to return to the airport. The student stated that he visually checked the fuel tanks during the preflight and estimated that there was about 1/2 tank (19 gallons), which was enough for about 2.5 hours of flight based on a fuel burn of 7.5 gph. The student reported that, during the flight, the instructor commented that the fuel gauge looked low and that he responded that it was working "intermittently," at which point, the instructor decided to return to the airport. The student reported that, about 5 nautical miles from the airport, the airplane "ran out of fuel at 3,000 ft MSL [mean sea level]." Subsequently, the instructor landed the airplane on a road, and the right wing struck a power line pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor reported that during the preflight inspection, he asked the student how much fuel was on board the airplane, and the student replied, about three hours of fuel. During the flight, the instructor observed that the right fuel gauge needle displayed, "little movement." After a brief conversation with the student regarding fuel burn, the instructor decided to return to the airport. The student pilot was the owner of the airplane, and he reported that when the instructor asked about the fuel gauge during the flight, the student replied that the fuel gauge "works intermittently." The student pilot reported that, about 5 nautical miles from the airport, the airplane "ran out of fuel at 3,000ft MSL." The instructor landed the airplane on a road, and the right wing struck a powerline pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3031U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3031U), registered now, S/N 17250631, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (E) - Registry model: [Cessna 172E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172e) (registry code 2072412) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17250631 - Year built: 1963 - Airframe hours: 2562 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 28, 2018 - Departed: PAWS, Wasilla, AK - Destination: PAWS, Wasilla, AK - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 66; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: right - Student pilot; age 56; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 87 total, 87 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.39 inHg - Observed at: PAWS, 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 20190430015169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190430015169A), Apr 30, 2019: Cessna 172E, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft made an emergency landing due to an engine failure. The engine quit due to fuel starvation. The fuel gauges were inoperative on the aircraft. It… ## Other investigations on N3031U (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 ANC91LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC91LA053), Apr 13, 1991: Cessna 172 (N3031U), Cantwell, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99356. 4.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40475441&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - CFI's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40475442&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CFI%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 377 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40475443&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.