Cessna 172 accident near Eastham, Massachusetts, June 16, 2024
On June 16, 2024 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 172, registered N2710U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Eastham, Massachusetts. It was an other work-use 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
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane’s fuel quantity, which resulted in total 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
- June 16, 2024 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Eastham, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 D, built 1963 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2710U · registry record · serial 17250310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In preparation for a local revenue sightseeing flight with two passengers, the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and used a generic fuel quantity dipstick that required converting the observed quantity to an actual quantity using a conversion chart. The pilot stated that he inadvertently arrived at an inaccurate quantity; instead of the 12 gallons of fuel he believed was on-board, the airplane likely only had 6 to 7 gallons. About 20 minutes into the scheduled 30-minute flight, the engine lost power completely, and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a nearby beach. During the landing roll the nose landing gear collapsed resulting substantial damage to an engine mount tube. As part of the recovery from the beach, less than 1.5 gallons of fuel were drained from both of the airplane’s intact fuel tanks. A postaccident check of each fuel quantity indicating system revealed each gauge indicated empty with the fuel sending unit fully extended.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 155 as pilot in command; 14 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 4, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2023; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 7,148 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CQX Chatham MA at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KPVC, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVC 161956Z AUTO 04006KT 10SM CLR 19/11 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP244 T01890106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 2, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Record of Conversation | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Fuel Quantity Indicating System Testing | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
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.