Summary
On December 25, 2009, a Cessna 182P (N21177) was involved in an accident near Bowie, TX. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to properly secure the right wing fuel cap and monitor the available fuel supply.
The private pilot topped off both fuel tanks (40 gallons each) prior to departing on a cross country flight in his single-engine airplane. The pilot stated that he had difficulty securing the fuel cap on the right wing tank after refueling. About 2-hours into the flight, with the fuel selector on the left tank, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot noted that the left fuel guage read empty and he attempted to switch tanks. He was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a deeply snow-covered field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, firewall, and fuselage. In addition, both wing fuel tanks were found empty and the fuel cap on the right wing was missing.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN10CA081. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N21177.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to properly secure the right wing fuel cap and monitor the available fuel supply.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The private pilot topped off both fuel tanks (40 gallons each) prior to departing on a cross country flight in his single-engine airplane. The pilot stated that he had difficulty securing the fuel cap on the right wing tank after refueling. About 2-hours into the flight, with the fuel selector on the left tank, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot noted that the left fuel guage read empty and he attempted to switch tanks. He was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a deeply snow-covered field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, firewall, and fuselage. In addition, both wing fuel tanks were found empty and the fuel cap on the right wing was missing.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA081