N8141T

On December 31, 2004, about 1330 eastern standard time, a Cessna 175B, N8141T, was substantially damaged after it experienced a loss of engine power while in cruise flight, and performed a forced landing near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; while two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Nashville Airport (BNA), Nashville, Tennessee; destined for the Capital City Airport (FFT), Frankfort, Kentucky. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot reported that he departed FFT, with two passengers on December 29, 2004. He further stated that to keep the airplane within the weight and balance envelope, he could not carry full fuel. The pilot estimated that he departed FFT with about 33 gallons, and flew to BNA in about 2 hours. On the date of the accident, the pilot departed BNA, about 1250, with three passengers. He estimated that he departed with about 1.5 hours of fuel on board, and that the flight time to FFT would take about 1 hour. The airplane was in cruise flight at 2,000 feet, with the fuel selector positioned to "both," when the engine began to lose power, and the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. The engine experienced a total loss of power about 500 feet above the ground. During the landing, the nose gear separated, the firewall buckled, and a portion of the fuselage was wrinkled.

The three passengers reported that the flight was uneventful until the engine began sputtering. One passenger noted that the fuel gauges were "near E."

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The airplane came to rest canted to the right. The inspector noted that no fuel was present in the left fuel tank, and approximately 5 gallons of clean automotive gasoline was drained from the right fuel tank. In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site.

According to the airplane owner's manual, the fuel system included two 26 gallon aluminum fuel tanks, with a useable fuel amount of 21 gallons from each tank, "in all flight attitudes."