20040710018129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 182A · Walterboro, SC · July 10, 2004

Date: July 10, 2004 · 15:00 local
Place: Walterboro, SC
Airport: Walterboro Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3955D
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04CA151
Reported as: Cessna 182A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 445 total52 in this make and model104 in the last 90 days

N3955DRegistration cancelled Nov 23, 2020 · Cessna 182AS/N 34655 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 182A Engine modelContinental O-470 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) After dropping off skydivers aircraft was returning to airport and on approach to runway 27 the engine started running rough and then quit. Pilot attempted emergency landing on highway 17 and collided with a truck resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. Examination of the aircraft showed both left and right fuel gauges indicated empty. Both left and right fuel tanks were dipped and showed no measurable fuel in left tank and approximately one inch of fuel in right tank. Fuel was added to tank and engine ran satisfactory.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER DROPPING OFF SKYDIVERS AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO AIRPORT AND ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27 THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THEN QUIT. PILOT ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING ON HIGHWAY 17 AND COLLIDED WITH A TRUCK RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL GAUGES INDICATED EMPTY. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE DIPPED AND SHOWED NO MEASURABLE FUEL IN LEFT TANK AND APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH OF FUEL IN RIGHT TANK. FUEL WAS ADDED TO TANK AND ENGINE RAN SATISFACTORY.

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 ATL04CA151Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWalterboro, SCThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power.Jul 10, 2004 · Substantial damage