Fairchild M-62A-3 accident near Waukegan, Illinois, September 10, 2011
On September 10, 2011 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Fairchild M-62A-3, registered N103JC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Waukegan, Illinois (Waukegan Regional Airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident were a malfunctioning fuel gauge and air traffic that prevented an on airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2011 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Waukegan, Illinois · Waukegan Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild M-62A-3 · all M-62A-3s on the register
- Registration
- N103JC · registry record · serial FC-119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before flight, the pilot checked the airplane’s fuel quantity using the fuel gauges but did not perform a visual inspection of the fuel tanks or top off the fuel tanks. The pilot selected the right fuel tank because its gauge indicated that it was 3/4 full. During the flight, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while on the downwind to base leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot turned toward the runway but realized that there was another airplane on short final that precluded his landing on the runway, so he elected to perform an off-airport landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed that there was no usable fuel aboard the airplane, the right fuel gauge indicated 3/4 full, and the left fuel gauge indicated empty. Federal Aviation Administration safety guidance information states that fuel gauges are subject to malfunctions and errors, and certification regulations only require that a fuel gauge read “zero” during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank is equal to the unuseable fuel supply. Therefore, fuel gauges should not be depended upon for checking the fuel quantity in a tank, and pilots should either top off fuel tanks or perform a visual inspection of fuel tanks to verify fuel quantity.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Air traffic/operating proc › Traffic congestion › Decision related to condition
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 7,676 hours in all; 151 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 5,657 as pilot in command; 2,066 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger L440-C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Commemorative Air Force
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: UGN Waukegan IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from UGN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11LA635.