Cessna 180 N4611U accident near Haines, Alaska

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence and the pilot’s decision to continue the flight after realizing the remaining fuel quantity was near 0.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot departed for the personal cross-country flight in the wheel-equipped, single-engine airplane over an area of inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep mountainous terrain. The pilot estimated that the fuel quantity at departure was about 53 gallons, which should have been sufficient fuel for about 4 hours 40 minutes of flight; the flight was expected to be 1 hour long. The pilot stated that the fuel quantity gauges showed about 48 gallons remaining at departure. However, shortly after takeoff and while en route, both fuel gauges dropped to 0, but the pilot chose to continue to his destination. As the flight neared the destination airport, the engine lost total power, and the pilot's attempts to restore power using the emergency engine restart procedures failed. The pilot was subsequently forced to ditch the airplane in the ocean, and the four occupants swam to shore. The airplane later sank in deep ocean water and was not recovered.

Given the pilot's statement about the fuel on board at departure, it is likely that that the fuel system was compromised forward of the firewall. However, because the airplane could not be examined, the reason for the fuel exhaustion could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC16LA005 for the full record.