Cessna 140 N72339 accident near Port Townsend, Washington

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection; at that time, the fuel tanks contained 12 gallons of fuel total, with 7 gallons in the left tank and 5 gallons in the right tank. The pilot then departed to practice touch-and-go landings with the fuel selector in the right tank position. During the fourth takeoff about 300 ft above ground level, the engine suddenly stopped developing power. With little time to restore power, the pilot pitched the airplane down slightly, then switched to the left tank, but was unable to restore power. He then switched back to the right tank but was again unable to restore power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing; the airplane impacted a stand of trees before coming to rest on its left side. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and left wing.

The left fuel tank was breached during the accident sequence and no fuel was observed in the tank. The right fuel tank, which had not been breached, contained about 1 ½ gallons of aviation fuel. The airplane's operations manual does not list an unusable fuel amount.

A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the total loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR18LA020 for the full record.