N2872X – CESSNA 177 – 2009-05-30 NTSB Accident Report

On May 30, 2009, a Cessna 177 (N2872X) was involved in an incident near Houston, TX. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning.

According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, prior to departure he had "four inches of fuel on his fuel stick" which equated to eight gallons of fuel on his fuel reference chart. He intended to fly for thirty minutes. At the time of the accident the pilot estimated that he had thirty minutes or four gallons of fuel remaining. He was cleared for landing when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. During the forced landing the airplane struck a telephone pole, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing; the wing spar and ribs were bent. An examination of both fuel tanks, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed less than a quart of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA327. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2872X.