Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
NTSB Accidents
Crashed plane ‘just didn’t have enough fuel’
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Mechanic’s error brings down just-purchased Piper
Probable Cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to secure the fuel strainer bowl with safety wire, which resulted in the fuel strainer bowl leaking and starving the engine of fuel. Also causal was the obstruction of two fuel injector nozzles.
Cessna 172 runs out of fuel during flight lesson
Probable Cause: The flight instructor’s inadequate fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Fuel exhaustion leads to forced landing
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Failure to activate pitot heat leads to loss of control
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to activate the pitot heat in a timely manner during flight into icing conditions, which resulted in a temporary failure of the flight instruments and a subsequent loss of control.
Wind shear fatal for pilot
Probable Cause: The airplane’s encounter with low level wind shear associated with moderate turbulence, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Failure to ensure proper fuel selector position fatal for pilot
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure a proper fuel selector position before takeoff, which resulted in a loss of left engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after the loss of left engine power.
Taxiing Cessna runs into parked airplane
The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked airplane. Contributing was the marshaller’s improper marshalling techniques.









