# NTSB WPR20LA117: Cessna 177RG, N98SW, Santa Paula, CA, April 5, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 4, 2020, 19:00 local (Apr 5, 2020, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Santa Paula, CA - Coordinates: 34.346668, -119.060836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3467&lon=-119.0608&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101144 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20LA117 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101144/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101144 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA117 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate fuel onboard for the planned flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## 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 level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073709), [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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/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 177RG, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot planned to fly in the airport traffic pattern for about 30 minutes to maintain currency in his airplane, which he had not flown or refueled in several months. He used the fuel gauges to determine his fuel quantity, which he estimated to be about 10 gallons. The pilot did not look inside the fuel tanks to verify the fuel quantity; however, he did sump the tanks, which took three attempts before he observed water-free fuel samples. He did not observe any anomalies during the engine runup, after takeoff, or during the first three rounds in the airport traffic pattern. During the initial climb following his fourth touch-and-go maneuver, the pilot experienced a total loss of engine power at 100 ft above ground level. The pilot was unable to restore engine power during the descent, and the airplane impacted a dry riverbed and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the stabilator. The fuel tanks were not breached, there were no obstructions in the fuel strainer, and no evidence of water contamination in the fuel system. About 2 gallons of fuel was recovered from the right wing tank, and the left wing tank was empty. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a preexisting malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation, and a test run of the engine revealed no anomalies. The pilot did not check the fuel tanks before the flight to validate the fuel quantity indicated by the fuel gauges. As one fuel tank was devoid of fuel and the other fuel tank was nearly empty, he likely departed with an insufficient fuel level for the short flight. ## Factual narrative On April 4, 2020, about 1900 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177RG airplane, N98SW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Santa Paula Airport (SZP), Santa Paula, California. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he had planned an approximate 30-minute flight to maintain currency in the accident airplane, which was his personal airplane that he had not flown in several months. He performed a preflight inspection, during which time he observed a total fuel quantity of about 10 gallons, evenly balanced between the left- and right-wing fuel tanks. The pilot observed that the fuel gauges indicated "just above empty," and did not look inside the fuel tanks to visually confirm the fuel level. He then sumped the fuel tanks and discovered that the right fuel tank contained some water, but he eventually observed water-free fuel samples after he sumped the right wing about three times. The pilot started the airplane and taxied to runway 22 where he performed an engine run-up and did not observe any anomalies. During the initial climb on his fourth touch and go maneuver, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power as the airplane reached about 100 ft above ground level. He immediately began a left turn with the intention of landing on runway 04. The engine momentarily regained power multiple times during the descent as the nose of the airplane dropped, but the pilot was unable to successfully restore and maintain engine power. The airplane impacted a dry riverbed and came to rest upright in an area of dense vegetation. Postaccident photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration showed substantial damage to the stabilator. Recovery personnel reported no evidence of a fuel spill and that neither fuel tank was breached. After the airplane was recovered, the recovery team drained about 2 gallons of fuel from the right wing and noted that the left wing was devoid of fuel. The fuel strainer was free of debris and contained a few ounces of uncontaminated fuel. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact malfunctions or anomalies. The engine was subsequently test run, during which time it sounded smooth and continuous through various power settings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N98SW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98SW), registered now, S/N 177RG1090, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 177RG (No Series) - Registry model: [Cessna 177RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (registry code 2073709) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (registry code 41593, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 177RG1090 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 6526 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 12, 2019, 9 hours before - Departed: SZP, Santa Paula, CA - Destination: SZP, Santa Paula, CA - Airport: SZP, Santa Paula, runway 22, 2,665 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 23, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 955 total, 162 in this make and model, 955 as pilot in command, 0.5 in the last 90 days, 0.2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: 8 nm away ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101144. 12.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 11.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9975384&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Incident%20Report%202020-04-10%2003-31_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9977770&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf - Weather reports and records (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 252 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9975935&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Weather-Rel.pdf - Examination summary (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 737 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9976758&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=img085-Rel.pdf - Exerpt from aircraft logbooks (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 351 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9975393&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20log%20excerpt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photograph (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9976911&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.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.