The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, the Cessna 172’s engine experienced a total loss of power.
He realized the wrong fuel tank had been selected for takeoff.
He subsequently performed a forced landing on a gravel stream bed north of the runway at the airport in Meadow Lakes, Alaska.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage.
The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause: The pilot’s selection of the wrong fuel tank for departure, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
NTSB Identification: GAA18CA454
This July 2018 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
As several readers have posted, I too have many wonderful hours flying 172s and owned two of them yet can never recall having any reason to switch the fuel selector from “BOTH” or even touching it other than to confirm in my checklist it was set to “BOTH”. So this accident is puzzling to say the very least.
Has nothing to do with this accident but I believe some of the Cessna manuals actually call for ‘off’ position during fueling to avoid having fuel drain from first tank to other tank during the process. In which case you would assume both tanks were full even though you lost fuel from the first tank the whole time you were topping each tank plus the time you were climbing down the ladder, moving the ladder to other wing, and climbing back up the ladder. Small point, but could make the difference some time. Proceed at your own peril.
Left or Right is used to maximize fuel capacity and minimize cross-feeding during refueling. But there is an interconnecting line between the tanks for fuel venting which is positioned near the top of each tank according to the diagram in the POH so cross-feeding apparently cannot be controlled completely.
I have plenty of hours in the 172 and I never used any position other then BOTH. I am not sure why you even need the Left and Right options except to maybe deal with a fuel imbalance. The pilot could be from the school of thought that you run the tanks to dry before switching but I never liked that brinkmanship. Otherwise it seems strange that he was taking off with one of his two tanks in an empty state as it would make for a bit of imbalance. If that tank was somewhat less that full that would make it better but then that calls into question whether he had enough fuel for the flight.
My Glastar has an on/off fuel selector that is going to be replaced with a L/R/BOTH/OFF selector at some point in the future for the reason you cited: to correct imbalance or isolate to verify a fuel vent problem. My tanks do not always balance themselves and I see the change in fuel selectors as a pilot tool to prevent running dry inadvertently
Not a bad idea, but when you make the change, do a fuel flow test to ensure fuel flows 150% the full bore consumption rate of the engine, if carbureted, 125% if injected. When I licensed amateur aircraft, I’d witness this during the inspection. Regards
Each time you bank in short or long turns the tanks can become imbalanced, even if the selector is set to ‘both’ so you need a way to rebalance them manually.
Some model years like the ’66 G model REQUIRE single tank operation ABOVE 5000 feet.
If it is required then the fuel selector will be so placarded.
Mine is one of them.
My 150 only has on (ON / OFF) fuel selector?? And yes it does sometimes it does get unbalanced but not physically noticeable, only visually from the fuel gauges. I did get a little nervous once when the left side read close to empty and the right read 1/4, so I purchased new fuel sending units hoping that would fix the problem.
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After that the unbalanced problem still exist….So I then purchased an expensive insurance policy. I installed an auxiliary 15 gallon fuel tank for the baggage area. I always carry at least 5 gallons in that tank which can be activated with a switch for the electric pump.
The C150 and C152 have an “on-off” selector. The C172 is “left-both-right-off”. I also believe the pilot’s manual says to use BOTH on take-off. Here’s another needless fuel-relates accident!
The real problem was bungling the preflight check. No doubt another case of “who needs a checklist I have too many hours to lower myself to mundane student level stuff” attitude.
it’s just yet another Alaska crash… that says it all.
BTW, the C172’s have 4 fuel selector positions; left, both, right, and off. ‘both’ is used for take off and landing.
This a/c was a tail wheel conversion and had an O-360 engine, 180 HP.
It is possible that the angle of climb was 10 degrees or more, which can unport the fuel inlet on the tanks with less than 1/3 full….. as in the POH for my C175 with 175 HP warns.
more stupid pilot tricks.!
I thought the 172 has a fuel selector either ON or OFF. How can one select the wrong tank? Or did this pilot select OFF?
Unless the fuel system is being worked on, there is never a need to select OFF.
Most 172s have “Left”, “Right”, and “Both” positions on the fuel selector. I believe the POHs call for take off and landing in the “Both” position.