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19960126003359I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Cessna 172N · Bluefield, WV · January 26, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 26, 1996 · 17:19 local
Place
Bluefield, WV
Airport
Mercer County
Phase of flight
Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N4901G
Reported as
Cessna 172N
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,700 total550 in this make and model160 in the last 90 days
N4901GRegistration cancelled Jul 15, 2013 · Cessna 172NS/N 17273448Airframe modelCessna 172NEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: aircraft enroute (I21) indianapolis-brookside to (rdu) raleigh-durham, NC, while IFR @ 45000 MSL. Intermediate fuel stop planned @ pulaski, VA (psk) pilot noted unusual fuel quality decrease in vicinity of Bluefield, WV (blf). Elected landing at blf. A/c cleared for ILS 23 @ blf by zid missed approach declared due to high winds. While repositioning for second approach engine powerloss experienced, unable to maintain altitude. Forced landing on state route 123, 1 NM north of blf. No injuries/damage. A/c inspection revealed defective seal on right wing fueling port causing siphoning during flight. A/c towed to airport (blf) fuel cap/seal replaced, no other discrepancies noted, a/c return to service & test flown 1-27-96. Discussed fuel management procedures with PIC. A/c departed I21 w/full fuel (40 gal). Pilot stated he attempted monitoring fuel consumption by time & quality indication, however moderate to severe turbulence made quantity gages unreliable. At time of incident ete was 3:30 W/4:30 hr fuel on board. Fuel siphoning caused loss of fuel reserve, resulting in fuel exhaustion. Matter considered closed.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: AIRCRAFT ENROUTE (I21) INDIANAPOLIS-BROOKSIDE TO (RDU) RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC, WHILE IFR @ 45000 MSL. INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP PLANNED @ PULASKI, VA (PSK) PILOT NOTED UNUSUAL FUEL QUALITY DECREASE IN VICINITY OF BLUEFIELD, WV (BLF). ELECTED LANDING AT BLF. A/C CLEARED FOR ILS 23 @ BLF BY ZID MISSED APPROACH DECLARED DUE TO HIGH WINDS. WHILE REPOSITIONING FOR SECOND APPROACH ENGINE POWERLOSS EXPERIENCED, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. FORCED LANDING ON STATE ROUTE 123, 1 NM NORTH OF BLF. NO INJURIES/DAMAGE. A/C INSPECTION REVEALED DEFECTIVE SEAL ON RIGHT WING FUELING PORT CAUSING SIPHONING DURING FLIGHT. A/C TOWED TO AIRPORT (BLF) FUEL CAP/SEAL REPLACED, NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES NOTED, A/C RETURN TO SERVICE & TEST FLOWN 1-27-96. DISCUSSED FUEL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES WITH PIC. A/C DEPARTED I21 W/FULL FUEL (40 GAL). PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED MONITORING FUEL CONSUMPTION BY TIME & QUALITY INDICATION, HOWEVER MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE MADE QUANTITY GAGES UNRELIABLE. AT TIME OF INCIDENT ETE WAS 3:30 W/4:30 HR FUEL ON BOARD. FUEL SIPHONING CAUSED LOSS OF FUEL RESERVE, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. MATTER CONSIDERED CLOSED.

Other reports on N4901G · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870121000909ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Fort Worth, TXThe student lost control of the aircraft during a downwind landing. The nose gear strut was improperly serviced.Jan 21, 1987 · Substantial damage