Cessna 172 N9919V

Summary

On 8 July 2019 at about 00:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N9919V was involved in an accident near Newport, Oregon, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 2019 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Newport, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.5803, -124.0581

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N9919V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newport → Newport

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC19LA032

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper verification of the fuel quantity during the preflight inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two passengers were returning from a sightseeing flight. While cruising at an altitude of about 1,200 ft, the engine began to surge between 2,100 and 2,600 rpm. To correct for the surging engine, the pilot switched fuel tanks, enriched the fuel mixture, and applied full throttle, to no avail. Unable to maintain altitude and to avoid undue harm to persons on the ground, he selected an area of hilly, sand-covered terrain for an emergency landing. During the emergency landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that, the day before the accident, the left and right fuel gauges indicated about 3/4 full and 1/4 full respectively; however, he said it was possible that he had run out of fuel. The airplane had not undergone an annual inspection in 4 years. Postaccident examination revealed that the main fuel line to the carburetor had separated at the carburetor casing and the strainer cable had stretched, releasing any contents that may have been present in the gascolator during the accident sequence. The carburetor half screws were in and safetied but loose and did not appear to be torqued. Brown deposits were observed on the exterior of the carburetor emanating from the carburetor half seam. Although it is evident that the carburetor had been leaking for an undetermined time, blue streaking would have been more likely if a significant and recent fuel loss had occurred. No fuel was found in the remainder of the fuel system, including the wing tanks, associated lines, and carburetor bowl. Based on the lack of fuel present in the fuel system, it is likely that the pilot miscalculated the amount of fuel onboard before the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.