Socata TBM 700 N101NX accident near Alpine, Wyoming

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent off airport landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was unable to determine actual amount of fuel on board the airplane. For his fuel planning he used indicated fuel amounts from the airplane’s analog fuel gauges as the input data for an electronic fuel planner and relied on the electronic fuel planner to track how much fuel was onboard the airplane. As they approached their destination, the airplane’s CAS (crew alerting system) began to display warnings for low fuel, and the pilot prepared for an emergency off-field landing. Subsequently, the engine experienced a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot then conducted a forced landing to an open field, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC25LA116 for the full record.