Cessna 172M accident near Connelsville, Pennsylvania, March 21, 2010
On March 21, 2010 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N8921V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Connelsville, Pennsylvania (Connellsville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2010 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Connelsville, Pennsylvania · Connellsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8921V · registry record · serial 17264278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane’s fuel tanks were last filled on the day prior to the accident. It was then flown for 1.3 hours before the accident flight, and not refueled. While en route, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to perform a forced landing to a field, but the airplane’s nose landing gear contacted a power line. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground inverted. From the time of the last fuel service, to the time of the accident, the airplane accrued 6.0 hours of total Hobbs time. Examination of the airplane, including the fuel feed system, by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Only residual and unusable fuel was found in the tanks. According to the airplane owner's manual, the fuel endurance at cruise power setting is 5.9 hours. That figure does not include, engine start, taxi, takeoff, and climb.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52,119 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mds Enterprises LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 9G0 Buffalo NY at 11:00 am
- Destination: VVS Connellsville PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MGW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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.