Summary
On February 17, 2013, a Cessna 177 (N30227) was involved in an accident near Elcho, WI. 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: The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight fuel management, which led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight. He attempted to restart the engine without success and executed a forced landing to a field. Upon landing in the snow-covered field, the airplane nosed over and came to rest on its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. In his written statement, the pilot said that he decided not to add additional fuel prior to the flight because his fuel calculations showed that he should have had at least 30 minutes of fuel reserve upon arrival at the destination airport; however, he did not use a calibrated instrument in determining the preflight fuel quantity.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN13CA175. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N30227.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight fuel management, which led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight. He attempted to restart the engine without success and executed a forced landing to a field. Upon landing in the snow-covered field, the airplane nosed over and came to rest on its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. In his written statement, the pilot said that he decided not to add additional fuel prior to the flight because his fuel calculations showed that he should have had at least 30 minutes of fuel reserve upon arrival at the destination airport; however, he did not use a calibrated instrument in determining the preflight fuel quantity. He further stated that the accident could have been prevented by adding additional fuel prior to the flight. He listed no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane on his written report.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN13CA175