# NTSB WPR22LA337: Cessna 180, N3135D, Seeley Lake, MT, September 3, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 3, 2022, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Seeley Lake, MT · Wooded area
- Coordinates: 47.16357, -113.44578
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1636&lon=-113.4458&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern crosswind: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105889
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA337
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105889/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105889
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA337

## Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of unporting of the fuel.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 181 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern crosswind: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=2072602), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The accident pilot reported that he had topped the airplane off with fuel before departure. Following an uneventful flight, the pilot began a descent to the airport traffic pattern and enrichened the mixture and applied carburetor heat. While on the downwind for the runway, he noted that he had about 10.5 to 11 gallons of fuel remaining. The pilot conducted a low approach by descending over the runway using an intermediate power setting to inspect the runway for wildlife. As the pilot initiated a climb and turned onto the left crosswind leg, the engine lost all power about 300 ft above ground level, and he initiated a forced landing to a nearby clearing. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a nose-low attitude. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The reported fuel level would have placed the fuel levels in both fuel tanks below 1/4 tank, which would prohibit takeoff according to the airplane owner’s manual. It’s likely that following the low pass over the runway, with the application of power and a climbing turn, the fuel was unported and interrupted the fuel delivery to the engine, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

## Factual narrative

On September 3, 2022, about 1500 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180, N3135D was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Seeley Lake, Montana. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he topped the airplane off with fuel before he departed from the Vance Brand Airport, Longmont, Colorado, and flew direct to Seeley Lake Airport (S23), Seeley Lake, Montana, at a cruise altitude between 10,500 and 12,500 ft mean sea level (msl). The pilot stated that during cruise flight, he leaned the mixture aggressively to a fuel burn between 9.5 and 10 gallons an hour. Following the uneventful flight, the pilot began a descent to the airport traffic pattern, enrichened the mixture, and applied carburetor heat. While on the downwind for runway 16, he noted that he had about 10.5 to 11 gallons of fuel remaining. The pilot conducted a low approach by descending over runway 16 using an intermediate power setting to inspect the runway for wildlife. As the pilot initiated a climb and turned onto the left crosswind leg, the engine lost all power about 300 ft above ground level; he initiated a forced landing to a nearby clearing. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a nose-low attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that both wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. Review of photos provided by the FAA showed that the bottom of the fuselage was cut open by an unknown source. The left and right fuel lines from the wing tanks also appeared to be separated consistent with impact damage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination. Wreckage recovery personnel reported that no fuel was recovered from either fuel tank. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The position of the fuel selector valve was in the left fuel tank position, and the handle was separated from the valve. Both fuel tanks exhibited crush damage. The leading edge and portion of the left fuel tank was torn open, and the right fuel tank appeared to be intact. The left and right fuel tank float gauges were intact and were placarded “NO TAKEOFF” for ¼ tank or less. The airplane was equipped with two 30-gallon fuel tanks of which 27.5 gallons were useable. The airplane owner’s manual states, “a red arc on the face of each indicator, warns the pilot that the respective tank is less than one-quarter full. Do not take off if the pointer is in the red arc.”

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3135D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3135D), registered now, S/N 31933, built 1955 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180
- Registry model: [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (registry code 2072602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 31933
- Year built: 1955
- Airframe hours: 3840
- Engines: Continental O-470-50 270 hp reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Skycavu Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 2022, 15 hours before
- Departed: LMO, Longmont, CO
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 23S, Seeley Lake, runway 16, 4,575 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: serious; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,600 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: KMSO, 30 nm away
- METAR: 	
METAR KMSO 032053Z 30003KT 8SM CLR 29/06 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP122 T02940056 58028=

## 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 20220903015349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220903015349A), Sep 3, 2022: Cessna 180, Seeley Lake, MT, Substantial damage. At about 1513 on 9/3/2022, the aircraft crashed while flying from longmont, co (klmo) to Seeley Lake Airport (23S). The pilots flew between 100 and 200 feet…

## Docket (9 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105889. 9.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513530&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record - conversation with the pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17512942&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- ADS-B data kmz file (item 3, KMZ, 894 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17539013&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=accidednt%20flight%20adsb%20data-Rel.kmz
- Memorandum of record - conversation with the recovery company (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513614&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Recovery%20Company-Rel.pdf
- Airplane owners manual excerpt (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513424&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=pages%20from%20cessna%20180%20owners%20manual-Rel.pdf
- Airframe and engine examination report (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513718&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=airframe%20and%20engine%20exam-Rel.pdf
- Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 529 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513791&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=partyform_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 868 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513624&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed%20Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 9, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17513634&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo%20array-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.

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