Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180 accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, July 5, 2015
On July 5, 2015 at about 9:40 pm local time, a 2011 Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180, registered N354BM, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2015 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180 UNDESIGNAT, built 2011 · all A-1C-180s on the register
- Registration
- N354BM · registry record · serial 3132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a personal flight. After practicing stop-and-go landings, he departed, turned the airplane to the left, climbed to 1,800 ft mean sea level, reduced power to 40% to 45%, and activated the lean-of-peak assist feature on the engine instrumentation. As he leaned the mixture and watched for the first cylinder to reach peak exhaust gas temperature, a fuel flow sensor malfunction indicator light appeared on the engine instrumentation. The pilot subsequently enriched the mixture, but the sensor malfunction indication continued, and the engine lost power. After attempting to restart the engine, the pilot conducted a forced landing to a golf course. During the landing roll, the right wing tip and right elevator struck a tree, which resulted in structural damage. Examination of the engine, airframe, and fuel system did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The fuel tanks were not damaged, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage at the accident site. However, only about 2 gallons of fuel were found remaining in the airplane. The 2 gallons were unusable. The engine instrumentation system was powered up, and the "fuel remaining" indicated 17.6 gallons. Per the system pilot's guide, the pilot is required to perform a "first time set up" that includes calibrating the fuel flow transducer. This calibration has a direct input into how the system computes the airplane's remaining fuel. This task was never accomplished, which provided the pilot with an erroneous "fuel remaining" indication. The pilot reported that he did not physically check the wing tank fuel quantity tubes that were in the cockpit or "dip" the fuel tanks to verify fuel quantity. Thus, it is likely that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,015.5 hours in all; 517.5 in this make and model; 18.6 in the last 90 days; 7.5 in the last 30 days; 907.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 13, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 561 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I69 Clermont OH at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LUK Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from I69, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 29, 2019. 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 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.