Fuel exhaustion Accident Cessna 172G Skyhawk N3700L,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 82819
 
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Date:Sunday 21 November 2010
Time:13:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172G Skyhawk
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N3700L
MSN: 17253869
Year of manufacture:1965
Total airframe hrs:2345 hours
Engine model:Continental 0-300-D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Auburndale, Florida -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Greenville, SC (GYH)
Destination airport:Winter Haven, FL (GIF)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
According to the pilot, he reviewed the weather prior to departing on the 416-nautical mile cross-country flight. The pilot fueled the airplane with 30.1 gallons of fuel the morning of the flight. About 3 miles from the destination airport, as the airplane was descending through 1,500 feet mean sea level, the engine sputtered and subsequently experienced a loss of power. During the forced landing, the airplane struck a tree, continued down an incline, and came to rest in a small pond, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the firewall. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane's left fuel tank contained 2.5 gallons of fuel, the right fuel tank contained 0.5 gallons of fuel; the fuel selector was in the "BOTH" position.

A review of the airplane's applicable Owner's Manual revealed that the unusable fuel in level flight was 0.5 gallons. At 67 percent power, and operating with a lean mixture, the airplane's fuel consumption rate was 7.6 gallons per hour. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated that he should have stopped for fuel en route.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight/inflight fuel planning resulting in fuel exhaustion and total loss of engine power.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ERA11CA069
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Nov-2010 23:27 slowkid Added
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
26-Nov-2017 18:38 ASN Update Bot Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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