# NTSB WPR15LA155: Cessna 140, N2514N, Crescent Lake, OR, May 1, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 30, 2015, 19:47 local (May 1, 2015, 02:47 UTC) - Place: Crescent Lake, OR - Coordinates: 43.532501, -121.949996 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5325&lon=-121.9500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 20, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91109 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91109/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91109 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA155 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to restart the engine for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Engine starting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/cases.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/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 starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Engine shutdown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140/sequence.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 80 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140/sequence.md) - [Approach: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 140, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a cross-country flight, at a cruise altitude of about 7,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the airline transport pilot reported that the engine experienced a total loss of power after he allowed the left wing fuel tank to run empty. He switched fuel tanks but was unable to restart the engine. The pilot realized that the airplane was not within gliding distance of the nearest airport and decided to conduct a forced landing on a nearby road. During the landing roll, the airplane struck several trees and sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane established continuity of the fuel system with no anomalies observed. The left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank was nearly full. A test run of the engine was conducted using the fuel from the right tank. The engine operated normally with no anomalies observed, and the reason for the pilot's inability to restart the engine following the loss of power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On April 30, 2015, about 1947 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 140, N2514N, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power, near the Crescent Lake State Airport (5S2) Crescent Lake, Oregon. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot was not injured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from Rogue Valley International - Medford Airport, Medford, Oregon, about 1830, with a destination of Sisters Eagle Air Airport, Sisters, Oregon. The pilot reported that during cruise flight, about 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine lost power after the selected fuel tank was run empty. He switched fuel tanks, and made several attempts to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the pilot realized that he would not be able to make the nearest airport, and initiated a forced landing on a nearby road, about two miles south of 5S2. During the approach and landing roll, the airplane struck several trees but remained upright. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the right wing sustained substantial damage. The airplane was recovered and further examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector revealed the continuity of the fuel from the wing tanks to the engine. The left fuel tank was observed to be empty and the right fuel tank was nearly full. When the right fuel tank was selected, the engine ran normally. No anomalies in the fuel system or fuel selector were noted during the examination. Despite numerous requests to the pilot, he did not provide a completed NTSB Form 6120.1 to the investigator-in-charge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2514N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2514N), registered now, S/N 12771 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 140 (G) - Registry model: [Cessna 140](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (registry code 2071602) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12771 - Year built: 1947 - Engines: reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MFR, MEDFORD, OR - Destination: 6K5, SISTERS, OR - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; seat: left; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 350° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: BDN, 47 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 20150430006239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150430006239A), Apr 30, 2015: Cessna 140, Crescent Lake, OR, Substantial damage. The engine on this aircraft quit running, during cruise, after having flown for approx. 2 hours. Enroute from Illinois valley - medford - to sisters, OR. The… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91109. 92 KB in all. - Record of Conversation (FAA) (item 1, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40452263&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA)-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40452264&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - Record of Email (item 3, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40452265&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Email-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.