OpenAirDocs.org

20120508008039A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 177 · Hanksville, UT · May 8, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 8, 2012 · 10:30 local
Place
Hanksville, UT
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N28WF
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR12LA198
Reported as
Cessna 177
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
985 total91 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days
N28WFRegistration cancelled May 21, 2014 · Cessna 177S/N 17700876 · Built 1968Airframe modelCessna 177Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

On may 8, 2012, the pilot claimed to arrive at the spanish fork airport for a flight in a Cessna 177, N28WF, with his nephew. He claimed to have conducted a preflight and added 30 gallons of fuel to top off the tanks (48 gallons usable) from a transfer tank in the hangar. After flying 1.8 hours, the pilot was conducting a low pass over a dirt strip when on the climb out, the engine stopped producing power. He subsequently crashed destroying the aircraft. The following results were discovered::1.carburetor fuel bowl had no fuel present nor residue present.2.evidence of fuel was observed on engine fuel pump diaphrams and check valves.3.recovery team drained zero (0) gallons from the left tank, and 1/3 gallon from the right.4.passenger reported smelling no fuel while in flight.5.fuel caps were secured by verifying after crash pictures.6.no fuel staining was noted in after crash pictures.7.fuel shut off valve was fully closed.8.it was selected to the right position.7.engine controls were verified to be correctly installed.8.spark plugs had no anomalies noted.9.piston and valves have no anomalies.10.propellers blades were bent aft.11.engine was free to rotate.12.engine oil had 6 qts, no discoloration, burned smell nor anomalies.13.no defects noted in the oil filter element.14.intake appeared to have no blockage other than outside dirt from accident.15.exhaust system was functional except for damage due to accident.16.engine magnetos were tight with leads that appeared broken due to accident.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 8, 2012, THE PILOT CLAIMED TO ARRIVE AT THE SPANISH FORK AIRPORT FOR A FLIGHT IN A CESSNA 177, N28WF, WITH HIS NEPHEW. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT AND ADDED 30 GALLONS OF FUEL TO TOP OFF THE TANKS (48 GALLONS USABLE) FROM A TRANSFER TANK IN THE HANGAR. AFTER FLYING 1.8 HOURS, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A LOW PASS OVER A DIRT STRIP WHEN ON THE CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. HE SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT.THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WERE DISCOVERED::1.CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL HAD NO FUEL PRESENT NOR RESIDUE PRESENT.2.EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED ON ENGINE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAMS AND CHECK VALVES.3.RECOVERY TEAM DRAINED ZERO (0) GALLONS FROM THE LEFT TANK, AND 1/3 GALLON FROM THE RIGHT.4.PASSENGER REPORTED SMELLING NO FUEL WHILE IN FLIGHT.5.FUEL CAPS WERE SECURED BY VERIFYING AFTER CRASH PICTURES.6.NO FUEL STAINING WAS NOTED IN AFTER CRASH PICTURES.7.FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE WAS FULLY CLOSED.8.IT WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT POSITION.7.ENGINE CONTROLS WERE VERIFIED TO BE CORRECTLY INSTALLED.8.SPARK PLUGS HAD NO ANOMALIES NOTED.9.PISTON AND VALVES HAVE NO ANOMALIES.10.PROPELLERS BLADES WERE BENT AFT.11.ENGINE WAS FREE TO ROTATE.12.ENGINE OIL HAD 6 QTS, NO DISCOLORATION, BURNED SMELL NOR ANOMALIES.13.NO DEFECTS NOTED IN THE OIL FILTER ELEMENT.14.INTAKE APPEARED TO HAVE NO BLOCKAGE OTHER THAN OUTSIDE DIRT FROM ACCIDENT.15.EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONAL EXCEPT FOR DAMAGE DUE TO ACCIDENT.16.ENGINE MAGNETOS WERE TIGHT WITH LEADS THAT APPEARED BROKEN DUE TO ACCIDENT.

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 WPR12LA198Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHanksville, UTThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to climb or maintain clearance from terrain.May 8, 2012 · Substantial damage