N958HP

On June 24, 2020, about 1401 central daylight time, a Cessna 182R airplane, N958HP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Winfield, Texas. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 pipeline patrol flight.

The pilot stated that she departed Cushing Municipal Airport (CUH), Cushing, Oklahoma, with a full fuel load (88 gallons usable) and intended to make a fuel stop at Mount Pleasant Regional Airport (OSA), Mount Pleasant, Texas, before continuing onto Ennis Municipal Airport (F41), Ennis, Texas, where she planned to stay overnight.

According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data, the flight departed CUH about 0953. The pilot stated that the flight was uneventful until the airplane crossed over US Interstate 30 near Winfield, Texas, at which point she turned from the pipeline right-of-away toward her planned fuel stop at OSA. Shortly after crossing US Interstate 30, the engine began to “sputter” and “run rough” about 850 ft above the ground. The pilot was unable to restore engine power by “switching fuel tanks a couple of times” and selecting a full-rich fuel mixture. The engine “surged” between idle and a high rpm a couple of times before it lost all power. The pilot did not recall hearing the engine backfire or feeling any excessive vibration before the total loss of engine power.

The pilot stated that she had made a couple turns over US Interstate 30 while the engine was running rough and that the vehicle traffic precluded a safe landing on the roadway; there were also high-voltage power lines and antennas in the vicinity. She subsequently located an open field for a forced landing, but the airplane was unable to stop before it collided with a fence and trees that bordered the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

The pilot stated that she generally flies with the fuel selector positioned to both and, as such, does not normally select the right or left fuel tank during a flight. She repositions the fuel selector to the left tank before refueling, but also follows a checklist to ensure that she repositions the fuel selector to both before takeoff. She recalled repositioning the fuel selector twice after the engine began running rough but did not remember which fuel selector positions she attempted. The pilot was unsure if the fuel selector was positioned on both before the engine began to run rough.

The pilot reported that the average fuel consumption rate was 10 to 11 gallons per hour for the Cessna 182R airplane, and that the company requires their pilots to land for fuel after 5 hours of flying. The pilot stated that she prefers to calculate her fuel remaining based on how long she has been flying and does not rely on the airplane's analog fuel quantity gauges because they are often inaccurate. The pilot noted that after 4.1 hours of flight time the airplane should have had about 44 gallons of fuel remaining.

The pilot stated that a typical observation flight is flown about 700 ft above ground level while the pilot observes the pipeline right-of-way for evidence of encroachment, heavy machinery, fire, and pipeline leaks. The pilot noted that most of her attention during the flight had been dedicated to observing the ground. Additionally, the pilot reported that the pipeline company had recently complained that there had been some activity along the right-of-way that should have been spotted and reported during a previous flight, and, as a result, she deliberately paid more attention to the right-of-way than she had on previous flights.

A postaccident examination revealed leading edge damage to the right wing and a breached right fuel tank. The left wing exhibited leading edge damage, but the left fuel tank remained intact. According to the wreckage recovery crew, about 1 gallon of fuel was recovered from each wing fuel tank. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the wreckage onsite reported that the airframe fuel filter assembly contained fuel and no contamination. The engine separated from the fuselage during the accident.

The cockpit fuel selector lever was found in the both position; however, the shaft between the cockpit fuel selector lever and the fuel selector valve disconnected during impact. Testing of the fuel selector valve established that fuel from the left fuel tank was being used at the time of the accident and confirmed normal valve operation in all selectable positions.

A postaccident engine examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation during the flight.