Cessna T207 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, June 27, 2014
On June 27, 2014 at about 4:19 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna T207, registered N207AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis International airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the pilot's failure to monitor the fuel level and switch tanks in a timely fashion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2014 · about 4:19 pm local time · cases in 2014
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis International · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T207, built 1976 · all T207s on the register
- Registration
- N207AB · registry record · serial 20700342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane took off for an aerial mapping flight fully fueled (80 gallons of total fuel, 76 gallons of which were usable). After about 3.9 hours of flight, he returned to the airport to land. When the airplane was 1.5 miles from the runway, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that he performed the engine failure checklist (restart procedure) items from memory but was unable to reestablish power. The airplane cleared the airport perimeter fence but impacted terrain short of the runway. During postaccident examination, no fuel was found in the left tank, fuel was found in the right tank, and the fuel selector was found positioned to the right tank. Other than the empty left tank, the examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or abnormality that would have precluded normal engine operation. Therefore, it is likely that the fuel selector was positioned to the left tank and that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation when this tank ran dry. The pilot likely switched the fuel selector to the right tank during his unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine.
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 starvation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,206 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 2,142 as pilot in command; 1,059 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 13, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2014; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,803 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Surdex Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: IND Indianapolis IN at 1:45 pm
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23L, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:38 pm from IND, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 25, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement 7/7/2014 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement 7/15/2014 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Flightaware Ground Track - N207AB | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 - Fuel Boost Pump | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Revised Factual Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N207AB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N207AB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna T207 65 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520-G 3 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Indianapolis International · nearest airport
- Indianapolis International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,700 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N207AB 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN14LA327.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.