N3152Y

Substantial
Minor

CESSNA 182ES/N: 18254152

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, September 21, 2013
NTSB Number
ERA13CA427
Location
Middletown Springs, VT
Event ID
20130923X91125
Coordinates
43.798053, -73.214721
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
2
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N3152Y
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
18254152
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1962
Model / ICAO
182EC182
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
WHALEN JOHN F
Address
PO BOX 780
Status
Deregistered
City
WEST OSSIPEE
State / Zip Code
NH 03890-0780
Country
United States

Analysis

The flight departed from a private airport that did not have fuel available for purchase. The pilot reported that he elected to refuel while en route to his destination instead of other airports located near the departure airport. The pilot further reported that upon reaching the airport that he intended to refuel at, he found it was closed and diverted to another airport. At that time, he noticed that the airplane's fuel gauge needles were "bouncing off empty." The airplane subsequently experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall and forward portion of the fuselage. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and had he received a full weather briefing prior to the flight, he would have known about the closed airport and planned accordingly.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA427