Huntsville International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Huntsville, Alabama 35824
Monday, April 21, 2014 20:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on the two-hour flight with the fuel quantity gauge of each fuel tank indicating about half full, but did not otherwise verify the quantity of fuel present in the tanks prior to the flight. Approximately 20 minutes from the destination airport, the left fuel tank gauge indicated between empty and one-quarter full, and the right tank gauge indicated one-quarter full. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine began to "sputter" and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot moved the fuel selector to the right tank, but engine power was not restored. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to the grass short of the runway, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained no fuel, and the right tank contained approximately one half of a pint of fuel. The tanks were not damaged during the accident sequence, and there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the scene. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/2014
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Huntsville
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35824
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 343824N
Event Location Longitude 0864648W
Event Location Airport Huntsville International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HSV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 353
Airport Elevation 629
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 629
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SPECI KHSV 220128Z 20003KT 10SM FEW090 SCT140 21/1
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33023
NTSB Notification Source FAA SROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 20 2014 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35553
NTSB Number ERA14CA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172I
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17256830
Certified Max Gross Weight 2299
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 10314
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity, BLDG 4828
Aircraft Owner Street Address BLDG 4828
Aircraft Owner City Redstone Arsenal
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35898
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity, BLDG 4828
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BLDG 4828
Operator City Redstone Arsenal
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 35898
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 EDN
Departure City Enterprise
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2223
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HSV
Destination City Huntsville
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 20 2014 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18R
Runway Length 12600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --