# Accident 19971102031679A: Cessna 175, Arnaudville, LA, November 2, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 2, 1997, 16:30 local time
- Place: Arnaudville, LA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.3992° N, 91.9310° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3992&lon=-91.9310&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9437B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9437B-2013-04-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 175 (registry code 2072502, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 175
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 362 total, 257 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971102031679A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT HAD ROUGH RUNNING ENG, ATT TO MAKE EMGLANDING, STRUCK A ROAD, FLIPPED OVER, ARNAUDVILLE, LA. (.4)THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES WHEN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, THE AIRPLANE HIT A DRAINAGE DITCH, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED 43 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR REMAINED IN THE 'BOTH' POSITION DURING THE FLIGHT. AT THE SITE, FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS; HOWEVER, A CRACK WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL STRAINER (MOUNTED ON THE FIREWALL) AND THE ENGINE FUEL PUMP. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT AIR ENTERED THE FUEL SYSTEM THROUGH THE CRACKED LINE, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. THE REASON FOR THE CRACK IN THE LINE WAS NOT DETERMINED.                                                                         (-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. DURING THE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATION, AN INSPECTOR WITH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOUND A SMALL CRACK IN THE FUEL HOSE THAT CONNECTED THE ELECTRIC                                                     FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA039), Nov 2, 1997: Cessna 175 (N9437B), Arnaudville, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a cracked fuel line, which allowed air to enter the line and lead to fuel starvation and loss of engine power. A related factor was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.