Fuel exhaustion Accident Cessna 180 N2311C,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 284452
 
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Date:Friday 10 August 2007
Time:19:35 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C180 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 180
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N2311C
MSN: 30611
Year of manufacture:1953
Engine model:Continental O-470-R
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Princeton, Minnesota -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Private
Departure airport:La Crosse Municipal Airport, WI (LSE/KLSE)
Destination airport:Princeton Municipal Airport, MN (KPNM)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after the loss of engine power during cruise. The pilot reported that he had stopped at an en route airport to refuel prior to continuing to his final destination airport. He had the lineman at the fixed base operator add 7 gallons of fuel to each wing tank for a total of 14 gallons. The pilot reported that the lineman placed the fueling ladder on his truck and the pilot went in to pay the bill. The pilot did not check the tanks or the fuel caps after the lineman had added the fuel. The pilot reported that he departed and approximately 1:05 hours of flight later, the airplane's engine stopped running. He reported the fuel indicators showed empty on the left tank, but 1/2 or better on the right tank. The fuel selector was in the BOTH position. He executed a forced landing to a soybean field, but the field was too short and the airplane became airborne again before landing hard in a field. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the right fuel door was open and the filler cap was off and dangling by the chain attached to the filler neck. A fuel stain was observed that went from the filler neck to the trailing edge of the right flap. The left and right fuel tanks were empty.

Probable Cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight. A factor was the fuel siphoning from the right fuel tank.

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI07CA263
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI07CA263

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
30-Sep-2022 16:56 ASN Update Bot Added

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