20030604011729A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 175 · Middleton, ID · June 4, 2003

Date: June 4, 2003 · 20:10 local
Place: Middleton, ID
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7238M
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA093
Reported as: Cessna 175
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,942 total212 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N7238MRegistered now · Cessna 175S/N 55538 · Built 1958 Airframe modelCessna 175 Engine modelContinental GO-300 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.

(-23) The pilot departed echo, Oregon and was inbound for a landing at hubler field (one mile southwest of Middleton, ID) when he experienced a total loss of engine power. The fuel selector had been positioned to the left fuel tank. The pilot reported having no time to troubleshoot and, rather than risk crossing high trees in an attempt to reach the runway, he maneuvered to the north and landed in a field. During the landing roll the aircraft rolled through a "dip" in the terrain, which caused substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED ECHO, OREGON AND WAS INBOUND FOR A LANDING AT HUBLER FIELD (ONE MILE SOUTHWEST OF MIDDLETON, ID) WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE FUEL SELECTOR HAD BEEN POSITIONED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING NO TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT AND, RATHER THAN RISK CROSSING HIGH TREES IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE RUNWAY, HE MANEUVERED TO THE NORTH AND LANDED IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED THROUGH A "DIP" IN THE TERRAIN, WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03LA093Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMiddleton, IDThe pilot's failure to follow the checklist which led to fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power. A contributing factor was the uneven terrain at the landing site.Jun 5, 2003 · Substantial damage