# Accident 19980816020919A: Cessna 177, Santa Monica, CA, August 16, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 1998, 22:15 local time
- Place: Santa Monica, CA
- Airport: Santa Monica Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0309° N, 118.4299° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0309&lon=-118.4299&mi=10
- Aircraft: N177GS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N177GS-1999-08-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177 (registry code 2073704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,800 total, 160 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA267) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980816020919A

## Narrative

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

F-23)SUSPECTED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND RESULTANT DESCENT AT NIGHT THROUGH IMC CONDITIONS - A/C STRUCK OBSTACLES DURING EMERGENCY LANDING. (FROM .4) THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE CEASED DELIVERING POWER DURING THE NIGHTTIME INSTRUMENT LANDING APPROACH.  WHEN THEY BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS, IT WAS APPARENT TO THE PILOT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT.  HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD A SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELD AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A UTILITY POWER POLE AND SEVERED ELECTRICAL POWER WIRES PRIOR LANDING INVERTED ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF HE CHECKED THE FUEL QUANTITY USING A DIPSTICK TOOL AND THERE WAS 3 HOURS FUEL ABOARD.  HE COULD NOT RECALL WHAT THE FUEL GAUGES READ AT THE TIME THE ENGINE QUIT.  THE FLIGHT REQUIRED 1 HR. 15 MINUTES EN ROUTE.  SEVERAL EARLY RESPONDERS TO THE ACCIDENT SITE NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO LIQUID FUEL OR FUEL SMELLS PRESENT, AND THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL FOR A POSTACCIDENT FIRE OR EXPLOSION.  TWO OF THE PASSENGERS TOLD TWO DIFFERENT WITNESSES THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL.  NO ACFT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

## 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 LAX98FA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA267), Aug 17, 1998: Cessna 177 (N177GS), Los Angeles, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to accurately determine that an adequate quantity of fuel was aboard the aircraft for the intended flight, and the failure to monitor fuel quantity remaining while en route…

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.

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