Fuel exhaustion Accident Cessna 180 N1621C,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68396
 
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Date:Friday 2 October 2009
Time:12:40
Type:Silhouette image of generic C180 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 180
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N1621C
MSN: 30321
Year of manufacture:1953
Total airframe hrs:4825 hours
Engine model:Teledyne Continental O-470-J
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Ochoco National Forest, OR -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Pistol Creek, ID (PVT)
Destination airport:Redmond, OR (RDM)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The single engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power during flight and the pilot performed a forced landing in rugged terrain. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed minimal evidence of fuel. The airplane had a modified fuel tank system through a supplemental type certificate (STC). The STC changed the fuel capacity of the two fuel tanks from 30 gallons to 28.2 gallons each. The installation information for the STC noted that to determine the usable fuel for the airplane, the airplane’s type certificate data sheet (TCDS) should be referenced and the unusable fuel amount listed therein should be subtracted from the new total fuel capacity. The TCDS for the airplane stated that 5 gallons of fuel were unusable, which made the new total usable fuel capacity on the airplane 51.4 gallons. As a part of the STC, the airplane flight manual (AFM) and the fuel selector valve placard were to be updated with the revised usable fuel quantity. This action was noted on the FAA Form 337 for the STC installation. The pilot had purchased the airplane several years prior to the accident and the previous owner told him that all of the fuel (56.4 gallons) was usable. The pilot reported that there was no AFM supplement for the STC included in his paperwork, and that he did not ever look at the quantities indicated on the fuel selector valve placard in the cockpit due to its location between the seats. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s lack of understanding of the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR10LA001
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
03-Oct-2009 22:58 Geno Added
12-Oct-2009 11:45 TB Updated
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
02-Dec-2017 17:06 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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