What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 31, 1997, at 2202 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 172N, N4696G, registered to aerolina, inc., of hendersonville, north carolina, received substantial damage when it landed short of runway 23 at Fort Wayne municipal airport, Fort Wayne, Indiana, following a total loss of engine power. The pilot intended to stop at Fort Wayne, Indiana for fuel. The private pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated from hendersonville, north carolina, at 1730 EST with the intended destination of elkhart, Indiana. According to the pilot's written statement, he said, "...on final approach to fwa [Fort Wayne municipal airport] & lost power later discovered out of fuel." Post accident examination of the airplane by the federal aviation administration principal maintenance inspector (pmi) stated that he removed the spark plugs, and they were clean and dry. Turned the propeller through and received a good spark from both magnetos. The pmi drained fuel from the fuel filter at the bottom of the engine compartment and received a total of one and a half gallons of clean blue color fuel. The pilot's operating handbook states that the total unusable fuel is 3 gallons. Note:(.19) was entered with incorrect a/c registration number. (Entered as N4969G and later deleted) (-23) the pilot of N4696G declared an emergency on a 2 mile final for runway 23 at Baer field ft. Wayne, Indiana. Pilot stated he was losing power and would not be able to reach the field and impacted the ground approximately 200 yards short of the runway inside a drainage retention pond.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 31, 1997, AT 2202 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A CESSNA 172N, N4696G, REGISTERED TO AEROLINA, INC., OF HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 23 AT FORT WAYNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT INTENDED TO STOP AT FORT WAYNE, INDIANA FOR FUEL. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, AT 1730 EST WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF ELKHART, INDIANA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE SAID, "...ON FINAL APPROACH TO FWA [FORT WAYNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT] & LOST POWER LATER DISCOVERED OUT OF FUEL." POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION PRINCIPAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR (PMI) STATED THAT HE REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS, AND THEY WERE CLEAN AND DRY. TURNED THE PROPELLER THROUGH AND RECEIVED A GOOD SPARK FROM BOTH MAGNETOS. THE PMI DRAINED FUEL FROM THE FUEL FILTER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND RECEIVED A TOTAL OF ONE AND A HALF GALLONS OF CLEAN BLUE COLOR FUEL. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES THAT THE TOTAL UNUSABLE FUEL IS 3 GALLONS. NOTE:(.19) WAS ENTERED WITH INCORRECT A/C REGISTRATION NUMBER. (ENTERED AS N4969G AND LATER DELETED) (-23) THE PILOT OF N4696G DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON A 2 MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 23 AT BAER FIELD FT. WAYNE, INDIANA. PILOT STATED HE WAS LOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE FIELD AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY INSIDE A DRAINAGE RETENTION POND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4696G · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.