- Date
- February 8, 2009, 18:25 local (Feb 9, 2009, 02:25 UTC)
- Place
- Bow, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2404YCessna 172D
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090208001499A
- Case key
- 73331
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to verify the fuel quantity on board.
Findings · 4
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 of the single-engine airplane reported that he was on the final leg (approximately 10 minutes after takeoff) of a multi-segment cross-country flight when the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and landed in a field near the destination airport. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a ditch. The pilot stated that prior to the final leg of the cross-country flight the airplane fuel quantity indicators read "just under" 1/2 and 1/8 full. He added that he did not visually inspect the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the firewall. The fuel system, including the fuel tanks, was intact and no leaks were observed. An airframe and powerplant mechanic who recovered the wreckage reported that there was no fuel in the left tank and approximately 3/4 of a gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank. No preaccident mechanical deficiencies with the airframe or engine were noted.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the single-engine airplane reported that he was on the final leg (approximately 10 minutes after takeoff) of a multi segment cross-country flight when the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and landed in a field near the destination airport. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a ditch. The pilot stated that prior to the final leg of the cross-country flight the airplane fuel quantity indicators read "just under" 1/2 and 1/8-full. He added that he did not visually inspect the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the firewall. The fuel system, to include the tanks, was intact and no leaks were observed. An airframe and powerplant mechanic who recovered the wreckage reported that there was no fuel in the left tank and approximately 3/4 of a gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank. No preaccident mechanical deficiencies with the airframe or engine were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2404Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 172D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17249704
- Airframe hours
- 5,582
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Captain Kurt'S Tug & Barge Inc DBA
- Registered owner
- Captain Kurt'S Tug & Barge Inc DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 2008
- Departed
- KBLI · Bellingham, WA
- Destination
- KBVS · Burlington, WA
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
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 22, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,585 total · 200 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 5° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.