Cessna 172 accident near Dubois, Pennsylvania, November 17, 2019
On November 17, 2019 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N683SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Dubois, Pennsylvania (Dubois Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power, and his subsequent improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper preflight inspection during which he failed to see that the right fuel cap was not secured.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2019 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dubois, Pennsylvania · Dubois Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N683SP · registry record · serial 172S8094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was refueled while he performed the preflight inspection at night. He recalled that the fuel selector had been set to "both," and about halfway through the flight, he noticed that the right fuel tank appeared full but that the left fuel gauge indicated that fuel was being consumed from the left tank. He decided that he would "check the situation " when he reached his destination. About 5 miles from his destination, he noticed that the left-wing tank fuel quantity indicator showed that the left tank had 5 gallons remaining and that the right tank was still full. The pilot stated that, during the approach, the airplane became "very unstable and seemed to be uncoordinated." The stall warning horn sounded, and he applied left aileron and left rudder to align the airplane's heading with the runway heading but was unsuccessful. He aborted the landing, established a climb, and retracted the flaps. The Low Fuel warning light illuminated, and he switched the fuel selector to the right tank. The engine lost power, and he made a right tear drop turn back to the runway. When the airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level, he pitched for best glide airspeed, about 70 knots, and he attempted to restart the engine to no avail. He lowered the nose, the airspeed increased to 85 knots, and he added 20° of flaps and landed on the runway. The airplane bounced hard and then came to a stop. After the accident, it was determined that the right fuel cap was not secured and had fallen off the airplane onto the runway during takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage longerons. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Fuel starvation during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 18 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,938.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 29, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 8,171 hours total
- Operator: Hobart Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: AKR Akron OH at 9:30 pm
- Destination: AKR Akron OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,503 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KDUJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 7, 2020. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | 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.