Cessna Runs Out of Fuel After Multiple Diversions and Crashes in Bad Weather

Flight context

N1400 departed Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, California, for French Valley Airport in Murrieta on a night IFR flight. The pilot had nearly four hours of flight time by the time the accident sequence developed. Weather at the destination was poor, the filed alternate's ILS was out of service, and the pilot diverted to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport to use its ILS.

The final NTSB report, published December 10, 2025, established that the airplane ran completely out of fuel during the approach sequence. The investigation also found that the pilot was not current for IFR operations and had not logged actual or simulated instrument flight for about 19 months.

The critical sequence

The flight began with a fuel plan based on a published cruise endurance of about 4.2 hours with full usable fuel. The pilot had the tanks topped off before departure. But the plan included a long night IFR flight into an area where weather and approach availability could change.

When the original destination became unsuitable, the pilot diverted. The filed alternate's ILS was unavailable, so he selected another airport with an ILS. Every additional routing change consumed fuel. By the time he reached MYF, the fuel margin had become the central operational constraint.

The aircraft was cleared for the ILS Runway 28R approach. The pilot drifted from the localizer and did not respond immediately when the controller attempted to contact him. He overflew the airport at about 600 ft, reported the missed approach and requested another attempt.

The pilot then told ATC he had about ten minutes of fuel. That statement should be understood as the point at which the flight had already entered a critical state. The subsequent erratic turns and altitude changes were followed by a declaration that the aircraft was completely out of fuel.

Investigators found no pre-impact mechanical failure that would have prevented normal operation. The tanks were intact but empty. The navigation and ILS systems tested without anomaly. The NTSB therefore connected the loss of engine power directly to fuel exhaustion rather than an aircraft malfunction.

ATC decisions during the event

The ATC record shows the pilot's changing plan and the controller's attempts to provide assistance. After the missed approach, the controller issued a low-altitude alert and asked the pilot's intentions. When the pilot declared an emergency, ATC attempted to vector him toward another runway while also warning him about terrain. The controller could provide headings, but the aircraft had already exhausted its propulsion margin.

Investigation and aftermath

The NTSB found that the pilot had not completed the six-month instrument currency tasks required to act as PIC under IFR. His most recent actual or simulated instrument flight was about 19 months before the accident. Weather included low ceilings and mist. The probable cause was total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, with inadequate flight and fuel planning and the decision to fly night IMC without recent instrument experience contributing.

What the sequence shows

WPR24FA037 is a strong example of how several individually manageable problems can compound. Weather forced a diversion, an approach aid at the alternate was unavailable, an ILS approach then became difficult, and fuel reserves disappeared. The aircraft did not fail mechanically. The safety margin was consumed by the flight plan itself.

• Plan fuel for the real operational environment, not just the filed route.

• Treat a diversion as a new fuel-planning event.

• Do not continue repeated approaches after the fuel margin becomes critical.

• Maintain required IFR currency before accepting a night IMC mission.

• Declare the emergency early enough for ATC to provide useful options.

Accident facts

Sources

• Original ATC recording