Cessna 172 N5453K accident near Port Norris, New Jersey

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he departed on the flight with a total of 18 gallons of fuel on board. About one hour into the flight, while over water, the engine lost power. He established best glide configuration and prepared to ditch the airplane. His personal flotation vest became entangled in the seat belt and headset wire and he did not feel that he had sufficient time to refer to the emergency procedures checklist. After attempting restart the engine and declaring an emergency, the engine regained power. After setting up to land at a nearby airport, the engine lost power again, so he performed a forced landing in a farm field. After touchdown, the nose landing gear dug into the soil and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airframe was substantially damaged.

The pilot noted that the fuel selector handle was in the “left tank” position at the time of the accident. An examination of the fuel system revealed there were 1.5 gallons of fuel in the left wing tank, which remained intact, and 10 gallons in the right tank. The standard unusable fuel quantity for each of the airplane’s fuel tanks was 1.5 gallons. Based on the available information, the circumstances of the accident are consistent with a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA333 for the full record.