- Date
- September 5, 2019, 17:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Tahlequah, OK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7673QCessna 310
- Defining event
- Approach: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190905017929A
- Case key
- 100229
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 total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's improper fuel management.
Findings · 3
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 pilot reported that, during approach to land and while the airplane about 250 ft above ground level, "he ran the right tank dry," and the engine then lost power. He switched the right fuel tank selector to the auxiliary fuel tank, but despite his attempts, he could not restart the engine. He subsequently landed the airplane in a grassy field short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both main fuel tanks were empty and that about 17 gallons of fuel remained in the auxiliary tank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that during approach to land, about 250 ft. above the ground, "he ran the right tank dry" and the right engine lost power. He switched the right fuel tank selector to the auxiliary fuel tank, but despite his attempts, he could not restart the engine. The airplane subsequently landed in a grassy field short of the runway. Post-accident examination revealed that both main fuel tanks were devoid of fuel and about 17 gallons of fuel remained in the auxiliary tank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7673Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 310 (Q)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310Q0452
- Built
- 1972
- Engines
- Continental IO-470 SERIES, reciprocatingContinental IO-520-E2B, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- 3L Executive Coach LLC
- Registered owner
- 3L Executive Coach LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DUC · Duncan, OK
- Destination
- TQH · Tahlequah, OK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- TQH · Tahlequah Muni, runway 17, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 84
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KTQH
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 235 KB 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.