# NTSB WPR11CA419: Cessna TU206F, N338F, Bremerton, WA, August 31, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 30, 2011, 21:45 local (Aug 31, 2011, 04:45 UTC) - Place: Bremerton, WA - Coordinates: 47.551387, -122.705001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5514&lon=-122.7050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 3, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 81662 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11CA419 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81662/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81662 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA419 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning. ## 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 management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2073353), [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-descent: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he began the cross-country flight with 4 hours of fuel onboard for the estimated 3-hour flight. While over an airport along the route of flight, he found that the headwind was much stronger than forecast. He calculated that he had 1 hour of fuel remaining and that the remaining flight time to his destination was 30 minutes. As he approached his destination, he was receiving vectors from an air traffic controller when the airplane’s engine sputtered and stopped producing power. The pilot successfully restarted the engine. However, it soon stopped producing power again and would not restart. In the dark night, he performed a forced landing to a small opening in the trees. The first rescue personnel on scene reported that they did not detect the smell of aviation fuel and the pilot reported to rescuers that “he believed he had run out of fuel and that the engine just quit on him.” The airplane’s fuselage was bent upwards immediately behind the cabin area, and both wings were bent and wrinkled. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he began the cross-country flight with 4 hours of fuel onboard with an estimated 3 hours en route. During the flight, while over an airport along the route of flight, he found that the headwinds were much stronger than forecast. He calculated that he had 1 hour of fuel remaining, and that the remaining flight time to his destination was 30 minutes. As he approached his destination, he was receiving vectors from an air traffic controller when the airplane’s engine sputtered and stopped producing power. The pilot successfully restarted the engine. However, soon thereafter, it stopped producing power again, and this time it would not restart. In dark night light conditions, he performed a forced landing to a small opening in the trees. The first rescue personnel on scene reported that they did not “smell an obvious odor of aviation fuel.” Additionally, the pilot reported to rescuers that “he believed he had run out of fuel and that the engine just quit on him.” The airplane’s fuselage was bent upwards immediately behind the cabin area, and both wings were bent and wrinkled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N338F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N338F-2014-09-29), registration cancelled 2014-09-29, S/N U20602331, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TU206F - Registry model: [Cessna TU206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tu206f) (registry code 2073353) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20602331 - Airframe hours: 2054 - Engines: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ellis Charles T Trustee - Registered owner: Ellis Charles T Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 13, 2011 - Departed: HLN, Helena, MT - Destination: BFI, Seattle, WA - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 16, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 352 total, 294 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 200° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: PWT, 4 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 20110830019529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110830019529A), Aug 30, 2011: Cessna TU206F, Bremerton, WA, Substantial damage. 8/31/11 - During a telephone conversation with the pilot, he reported that prior to the accident flight, he verified that he had about 80 gallons of fuel on… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81662. 680 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 361 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354695&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Contact History Event (item 2, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354664&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Contact%20History%20Event-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.