What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Monday, October 17, 2011, aircraft, N5419R, a Cessna 172F, departed kcre (n. myrtle beach) for khxd (hilton head, SC) for a short layover, then proceeded to kpdk (Atlanta, GA) around 1700. Pilot is privacy data omitted with one passenger, his son privacy data omitted. privacy data omitted Topped off fuel at kcre and did not add fuel while in khxd. During initial departure from khxd to kpdk, after takeoff, privacy data omitted noticed the oil access panel on the right engine cowl was not secured. privacy data omitted Returned to the airport (khxd) to secure panel. After landing and taxing to ramp area, he set the brakes, then departed the aircraft with the engine still running and secured the oil access panel. This delayed final departure for kpdk by an estimated 15-20 minutes. On descent into kpdk at an estimated 5-7 miles out, at approximately 2500 feet, the engine lost power abruptly and aircraft crashed 1.76 nautical miles short of kpdk. Pilot and passenger had minor injuries. At the scene of the accident, there was no post crash fire and no sign of fuel contamination on ground. It had both wings outboard of the wing struts and fuel tanks torn/sheared off by collision with two trees prior to impact. Both fuel cells were intact. I inspected both fuel tanks, finding right tank empty and left tank having some fuel, estimated 2 gallons. At Atlanta recovery in griffin, GA, on October 20, 2011, left tank fuel measured 1.25 gallons. It was determined by privacy data omitted during his interview with the insurance adjuster, privacy data omitted, that he miscalculated his fuel onboard by a minus 9 gallons. privacy data omitted Suggests that he may have used tank quantities from one of several aircraft that he flies on a regular basis at the flight school he attends.
As the FAA filed it
ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011, AIRCRAFT, N5419R, A CESSNA 172F, DEPARTED KCRE (N. MYRTLE BEACH) FOR KHXD (HILTON HEAD, SC) FOR A SHORT LAYOVER, THEN PROCEEDED TO KPDK (ATLANTA, GA) AROUND 1700. PILOT IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH ONE PASSENGER, HIS SON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOPPED OFF FUEL AT KCRE AND DID NOT ADD FUEL WHILE IN KHXD. DURING INITIAL DEPARTURE FROM KHXD TO KPDK, AFTER TAKEOFF, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NOTICED THE OIL ACCESS PANEL ON THE RIGHT ENGINE COWL WAS NOT SECURED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT (KHXD) TO SECURE PANEL. AFTER LANDING AND TAXING TO RAMP AREA, HE SET THE BRAKES, THEN DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND SECURED THE OIL ACCESS PANEL. THIS DELAYED FINAL DEPARTURE FOR KPDK BY AN ESTIMATED 15-20 MINUTES. ON DESCENT INTO KPDK AT AN ESTIMATED 5-7 MILES OUT, AT APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER ABRUPTLY AND AIRCRAFT CRASHED 1.76 NAUTICAL MILES SHORT OF KPDK. PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD MINOR INJURIES. AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE AND NO SIGN OF FUEL CONTAMINATION ON GROUND. IT HAD BOTH WINGS OUTBOARD OF THE WING STRUTS AND FUEL TANKS TORN/SHEARED OFF BY COLLISION WITH TWO TREES PRIOR TO IMPACT. BOTH FUEL CELLS WERE INTACT. I INSPECTED BOTH FUEL TANKS, FINDING RIGHT TANK EMPTY AND LEFT TANK HAVING SOME FUEL, ESTIMATED 2 GALLONS. AT ATLANTA RECOVERY IN GRIFFIN, GA, ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, LEFT TANK FUEL MEASURED 1.25 GALLONS. IT WAS DETERMINED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DURING HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THAT HE MISCALCULATED HIS FUEL ONBOARD BY A MINUS 9 GALLONS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUGGESTS THAT HE MAY HAVE USED TANK QUANTITIES FROM ONE OF SEVERAL AIRCRAFT THAT HE FLIES ON A REGULAR BASIS AT THE FLIGHT SCHOOL HE ATTENDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.