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GAA18CA454

2018-07-24 · Meadow Lakes, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 8AK8

Current FAA registration · N171Q

Make / Model
CESSNA 172
Year of manufacture
1956 · 62 years old at event
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19940627
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A11E42

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s selection of the wrong fuel tank for departure, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power. He added that, he realized the wrong fuel tank had been selected for takeoff and performed a forced landing on a gravel stream bed north of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, the engine experienced a total loss of power. He added that he realized the wrong fuel tank had been selected for takeoff. He subsequently performed a forced landing on a gravel stream bed north of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid management - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel selector/shutoff valve-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA18CA454.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (fuel starvation). All research papers