What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted, A commercially rated pilot, was hired to perform test flights and a ferry flight of N6359T, a Cessna 182R (CE-182R). The aircraft was in brady Texas (bbd) getting an overhauled engine. privacy data omitted Stated that the aircraft was consuming more fuel than expected on the test flights. He estimated the fuel consumption to be approximately 20 gallons per hour since in the 6 hours of test flights the aircraft consumed 128 gallons of fuel.
The aircraft had been filled with 72.1 gallons of fuel on January 6, 2014. After the final test flight on January 23, 2014, privacy data omitted put an additional 3 gallons of fuel on board the aircraft which he stated filled the aircraft full of fuel. The pilot used the pilot?s operating handbook (POH) to determine that the aircraft would consume between 12 to 15 gallons of fuel per hour between the altitudes of 4000 to 6000 for the flight to janesville, Wisconsin (jvl) with a fuel stop in joplin, Missouri (jln).
After arriving in joplin, Missouri, privacy data omitted asked for the aircraft to be refueled with 30 gallons of fuel. Upon departing jln the pilot stated that he had noticed the fuel gauges were indicating that the aircraft was approximately 3/4 full. privacy data omitted Stated that about 130 miles from jvl the aircraft experienced turbulence. At this time the engine changed harmonics, and the fuel gauges were indicating approximately half full. The pilot decided to continue to the intended destination. Approximately 40 miles from jvl, engine stopped and the pilot noticed that the fuel gauges were indicating empty. privacy data omitted Initially picked a road to make an emergency landing, but decided to land in an open field after realizing that the road had automobile traffic.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing and left stabilizer in the accident. The pilot had minor injuries and was taken for medical treatment.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A COMMERCIALLY RATED PILOT, WAS HIRED TO PERFORM TEST FLIGHTS AND A FERRY FLIGHT OF N6359T, A CESSNA 182R (CE-182R). THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN BRADY TEXAS (BBD) GETTING AN OVERHAULED ENGINE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMING MORE FUEL THAN EXPECTED ON THE TEST FLIGHTS. HE ESTIMATED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION TO BE APPROXIMATELY 20 GALLONS PER HOUR SINCE IN THE 6 HOURS OF TEST FLIGHTS THE AIRCRAFT CONSUMED 128 GALLONS OF FUEL.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FILLED WITH 72.1 GALLONS OF FUEL ON JANUARY 6, 2014. AFTER THE FINAL TEST FLIGHT ON JANUARY 23, 2014, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PUT AN ADDITIONAL 3 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WHICH HE STATED FILLED THE AIRCRAFT FULL OF FUEL. THE PILOT USED THE PILOT?S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) TO DETERMINE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD CONSUME BETWEEN 12 TO 15 GALLONS OF FUEL PER HOUR BETWEEN THE ALTITUDES OF 4000 TO 6000 FOR THE FLIGHT TO JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN (JVL) WITH A FUEL STOP IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI (JLN).
AFTER ARRIVING IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ASKED FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO BE REFUELED WITH 30 GALLONS OF FUEL. UPON DEPARTING JLN THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3/4 FULL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT ABOUT 130 MILES FROM JVL THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE CHANGED HARMONICS, AND THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING APPROXIMATELY HALF FULL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION. APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM JVL, ENGINE STOPPED AND THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING EMPTY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INITIALLY PICKED A ROAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT DECIDED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD AFTER REALIZING THAT THE ROAD HAD AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, LEFT WING AND LEFT STABILIZER IN THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.