Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Battle Lake, Minnesota 56515
Friday, July 15, 1994 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS WITHIN THREE MILES OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS NO USABLE FUEL IN EITHER TANK. THE PILOT HAD BASED HIS FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS ON THE 32.5 GALLON CAPACITY PLACARDED ON EITHER TANK. THE TANKS WERE ACTUALLY 30.0 GALLON TANKS WITH 27.5 GALLON USABLE CAPACITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion which resulted from inaccurate fuel consumption calculations. A factor related to the accident was the inaccurately placarded fuel tanks.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BATTLE LAKE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56515
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID FFM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1185
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1795
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N333QB
NTSB Number CHI94LA232
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 31398
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 4556
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS A. MOTTINGER
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 776 33892 BLUEBIRD LANE
Aircraft Owner City ELIZABETH
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80107
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 25D
Departure City FOREST LAKE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 7Y5
Destination City
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --