C172 experiences engine failure and lands at nearest airport.

Attributes
ACN	716857
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1050
ASRS Report	716857
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The airplane is equipped with a GPS navigation; the database is current. The aircraft had tip tanks and had 7-11 gals in each main after landing. Flight following; wbound; V-54; about xx DME from ZZZ; 8500 ft. Had been airborne about 2 hours 45 mins; began descent; allowed airspeed to build. About 2 mins into descent; engine stopped making power. Had canceled radar services; called center back and advised engine out; asked for nearest. Trimmed for best glide; went towards ZZZ2. After about a min; engine began to surge; climbed; leveled off; engine quit. Made safe landing ZZZ2. Fuel cap was off on right tank. Airflow over wing created negative pressure in tank starving engine of fuel. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the cap was still attached by its lanyard and there was no paint damage; the reporter believes that the cap must have been installed but not twisted to its locked position. As speed built up in the descent the cap came off and caused fuel starvation. The cap was not inspected after purchasing fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 EXPERIENCES ENG FAILURE AND LANDS AT NEAREST ARPT.

Narrative: THE AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A GPS NAV; THE DATABASE IS CURRENT. THE ACFT HAD TIP TANKS AND HAD 7-11 GALS IN EACH MAIN AFTER LNDG. FLT FOLLOWING; WBOUND; V-54; ABOUT XX DME FROM ZZZ; 8500 FT. HAD BEEN AIRBORNE ABOUT 2 HRS 45 MINS; BEGAN DSCNT; ALLOWED AIRSPD TO BUILD. ABOUT 2 MINS INTO DSCNT; ENG STOPPED MAKING PWR. HAD CANCELED RADAR SVCS; CALLED CTR BACK AND ADVISED ENG OUT; ASKED FOR NEAREST. TRIMMED FOR BEST GLIDE; WENT TOWARDS ZZZ2. AFTER ABOUT A MIN; ENG BEGAN TO SURGE; CLBED; LEVELED OFF; ENG QUIT. MADE SAFE LNDG ZZZ2. FUEL CAP WAS OFF ON R TANK. AIRFLOW OVER WING CREATED NEGATIVE PRESSURE IN TANK STARVING ENG OF FUEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE CAP WAS STILL ATTACHED BY ITS LANYARD AND THERE WAS NO PAINT DAMAGE; THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT THE CAP MUST HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BUT NOT TWISTED TO ITS LOCKED POS. AS SPEED BUILT UP IN THE DSCNT THE CAP CAME OFF AND CAUSED FUEL STARVATION. THE CAP WAS NOT INSPECTED AFTER PURCHASING FUEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.