N3293T

On December 28, 1998, about 1525 eastern standard time, a Cessna 177, N3293T, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a hard landing at Immokalee Airport, Immokalee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated certified flight instructor (CFI) reported no injuries. The private pilot receiving instruction reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Naples, Florida, about 25 minutes before the accident.

The CFI stated he had been conducting touch-and-go landings at Immokalee Airport. The rated student pilot initiated the touch-and-go. The airplane appeared slow so he took over the flight controls. He ensured the carburetor heat was off and brought the flaps up to 20 degrees. He rotated when the airplane was about half way down the total length of the runway and raised the flaps to 10 degrees. He nosed the airplane over to level flight, when the airspeed indicator reached 60 mph he adjusted to a climb attitude and raised the flaps to the full up position. The airplane reached about 50 feet and started to lose power in a high sink rate. He pulled aft pressure on the control yoke to ensure a nose high attitude. The airplane collided with the ground hard off the end of the runway to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed, the nose gear collided with the ground and separated. The airplane came to a stop off the left side of the runway.

Law enforcement personnel stated they checked the airplane fuel levels by turning on the master switch. "The left fuel tank registered no fuel (wing was up at approximately a thirty five degree angle). The right fuel tank showed about an eighth of a tank (that wing tip was resting on the ground).

The FAA Inspector had an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic drain the fuel tanks to determine the amount of fuel that was remaining. About 2 gallons of fuel was drained out of the fuel tanks.

Review of the Cessna Model 177 and Cardinal Owner's Manual, Section II, Fuel System states, "Usable fuel in each bay, for all flight conditions, is 24 gallons when completely filled. The total fuel capacity is 49 gallons.