N3063U

Substantial
None

CESSNA 172S/N: 17250663

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA09CA297
Location
Perryville, MD
Event ID
20090520X35353
Coordinates
39.564998, -76.071662
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17250663
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1963
Model / ICAO
172C172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
172E

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
LITTLE BIRD AIRWAYS LLC
Address
PO BOX 977
City
HAMBURG
State / Zip Code
NY 14075-0977
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot and owner of the airplane departed on a round trip cross-country flight with one stop. Before departure the owner topped off the fuel tanks and the pilot elected to trust the owner on the accuracy of the fuel amount. No fuel was added or fuel level verified while at the enroute stop. Ten miles from the departure airport, on the return leg, the engine stopped running. The pilot attempted to restart the engine and switched fuel tanks, but the engine would not re-start. The pilot elected to land in an empty field; overran the field boundary, went through a ditch, and impact a tree as it crossed a road before coming to a stop. In the process, the airplane’s nose gear broke off and damaged the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot and owner exited the airplane without assistance. The airplane had been flown for a total of 3 hours and 40 minutes in the round trip flight before the engine stopped running due to fuel exhaustion.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA297