What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The flight departed with full fuel tanks and during cruise flight the pilot noted that the fuel gauge needles were bouncing and indicating between empty and 1/4 full. The flight continued then during cruise flight about 5-6 minutes later and 3 hours 6 minutes into the flight, the engine quit. The pilot initiated an emergency descent then while over unsuitable terrain, he landed the airplane in trees. Post crash examination of the fuel tank in the left wing which was separated revealed it contained about 1/4 cup of fuel. The fuel tank in the right wing which was attached was found empty. No fuel stains were noted aft of each fuel cap or aft of each fuel tank sump drain fitting. The estimated time en route was calculated to be 3 hours 13 minutes. The pilot stated that historically the fuel consumption is 12.5 to 13.0 gallons per hour. No determination could be made as to the reason for the excess fuel consumption. (-23) pilot's statement: I conducted an interview with Mr. Aldo giannerini at the harton hospital in tullohoma TN, on April 10, 1997. Mr. Giannerini stated he had 830 hrs of flight time in the Cessna 182 aircraft. He further stated that the last fuel stop prior to the aircraft crash was the cross city airport (cty), FL. He fueled the aircraft with 37.5 gallons of 100 low lead fuel bringing both tanks to full level. Mr. Giannerini stated he had a right cross head wind when approaching the tullohoma airport. At 5 miles from the tullohoma airport, he stated the engine power fell off and the propeller stopped rotating. At that time the airspeed dropped to 65 knots. At the point the engine stopped, the aircraft had traveled 3 hours 5 mins. From its takeoff point in FL. Mr. Giannerini further stated that he was trying to land at the tullohoma airport to refuel the aircraft, but the Cessna 182 crashed 3.2 nautical miles short of the runway into a wooded area adjacent to an open field. Shortly after the impact both Mr. Giannerini and raymond, the passenger, exited the aircraft and walked approximately 50 yards to a paved roadway where they were met by local residents. In closing conversation Mr. Giannerini indicated he and Mr. Raymond both had their seat belt and shoulder harness on.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AND DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLES WERE BOUNCING AND INDICATING BETWEEN EMPTY AND 1/4 FULL. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THEN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT ABOUT 5-6 MINUTES LATER AND 3 HOURS 6 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT THEN WHILE OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN TREES. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK IN THE LEFT WING WHICH WAS SEPARATED REVEALED IT CONTAINED ABOUT 1/4 CUP OF FUEL. THE FUEL TANK IN THE RIGHT WING WHICH WAS ATTACHED WAS FOUND EMPTY. NO FUEL STAINS WERE NOTED AFT OF EACH FUEL CAP OR AFT OF EACH FUEL TANK SUMP DRAIN FITTING. THE ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 3 HOURS 13 MINUTES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HISTORICALLY THE FUEL CONSUMPTION IS 12.5 TO 13.0 GALLONS PER HOUR. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE EXCESS FUEL CONSUMPTION. (-23) PILOT'S STATEMENT: I CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ALDO GIANNERINI AT THE HARTON HOSPITAL IN TULLOHOMA TN, ON APRIL 10, 1997. MR. GIANNERINI STATED HE HAD 830 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE CESSNA 182 AIRCRAFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE LAST FUEL STOP PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT CRASH WAS THE CROSS CITY AIRPORT (CTY), FL. HE FUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 37.5 GALLONS OF 100 LOW LEAD FUEL BRINGING BOTH TANKS TO FULL LEVEL. MR. GIANNERINI STATED HE HAD A RIGHT CROSS HEAD WIND WHEN APPROACHING THE TULLOHOMA AIRPORT. AT 5 MILES FROM THE TULLOHOMA AIRPORT, HE STATED THE ENGINE POWER FELL OFF AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED ROTATING. AT THAT TIME THE AIRSPEED DROPPED TO 65 KNOTS. AT THE POINT THE ENGINE STOPPED, THE AIRCRAFT HAD TRAVELED 3 HOURS 5 MINS. FROM ITS TAKEOFF POINT IN FL. MR. GIANNERINI FURTHER STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO LAND AT THE TULLOHOMA AIRPORT TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT, BUT THE CESSNA 182 CRASHED 3.2 NAUTICAL MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY INTO A WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO AN OPEN FIELD. SHORTLY AFTER THE IMPACT BOTH MR. GIANNERINI AND RAYMOND, THE PASSENGER, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKED APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS TO A PAVED ROADWAY WHERE THEY WERE MET BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. IN CLOSING CONVERSATION MR. GIANNERINI INDICATED HE AND MR. RAYMOND BOTH HAD THEIR SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS ON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.