Cessna 140 N2167V

Summary

On 31 August 2018 at about 02:02 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N2167V was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 2018 at 02:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Tehachapi, California, United States

Nearest airport

Tehachapi Muni (TSP)

Coordinates

35.1372, -118.4442

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N2167V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tehachapi → Tehachapi

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA246

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power during the initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the preflight inspection, the pilot determined that the left fuel tank was empty and the right tank contained 4 gallons of fuel (capacity 12 1/2 gallons). After discovering that the airport fuel pumps were inoperative, the pilot decided to proceed with the flight and remain in the airport traffic pattern. The pilot performed a series of touch-and-go takeoff and landings and during the initial climb phase of the fifth takeoff, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted a 180° turn back to the runway, during which the airplane impacted the taxiway, resulting in substantial damage. Due to the airplane's vintage, operational and performance details such as fuel consumption and unusable fuel quantity were unavailable; however, a placard on the fuel gauges indicated that takeoff should not be attempted if the tank was filled to just under 1/4 of its capacity. It is likely that the airplane consumed the remainder of the usable fuel during the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.