What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 27, 2018 at approximately 1:30AM eastern standard time, a 1965 Cessna 172-F, N8559U was destroyed following collision with the ground while conducting a ferry flight from the orange county, Virginia airport (komh), to marshall county airport (C75) located in lacon, Illinois with a fuel stop in columbus, Ohio at the rickenbacker international airport (klck).
The accident scene is located near Williamsport, Indiana (40.27N 87.39W) and the commercial rated pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft suffered a fatal injury. The aircraft registration shows an address of privacy data omitted and was being operated under provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 as a ferry flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no type of flight plan filed.
There were no witnesses to the accident. Air traffic control (ATC) was in communication with a pilot using a registration number of N59UM. The radar tracking shows this may have been the accident aircraft with a radar ?hit? At 01:20 Saturday morning. The Indiana state police aviation division on Sunday morning, January 28, 2018 located the aircraft. The aircraft was found inverted in a densely wooded area.
On-scene examination of the propeller appears to show that the engine was not producing any power at the time of collision with the surrounding trees and ground.
A fuel receipt showed that the pilot purchased 31 gallons of 100LL at 9:09PM eastern standard time at the rickenbacker airport. The take off from this airport, with a destination of marshall county was made shortly afterwards. Enroute, the pilot received flight following and changed his destination to danville, Illinois for unknown reasons. At times, ATC showed a ground speed of 39 knots due to strong headwinds in the area. The straight line distance between ?klck? And ?kdnv? Is 216 nautical miles. Estimated time the aircraft was airborne is for more than four hours.
Information found on the Cessna 172-F shows that the aircraft carried 42 gallons of fuel with 38 being useable. This aircraft had auxiliary fuel tanks installed but was placarded as inoperative.
Fuel mismanagement and fuel exhaustion is the probable cause.
The national transportation safety board conducted an on site investigation.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 27, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30AM EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A 1965 CESSNA 172-F, N8559U WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE CONDUCTING A FERRY FLIGHT FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA AIRPORT (KOMH), TO MARSHALL COUNTY AIRPORT (C75) LOCATED IN LACON, ILLINOIS WITH A FUEL STOP IN COLUMBUS, OHIO AT THE RICKENBACKER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KLCK).
THE ACCIDENT SCENE IS LOCATED NEAR WILLIAMSPORT, INDIANA (40.27N 87.39W) AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A FATAL INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION SHOWS AN ADDRESS OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 AS A FERRY FLIGHT. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN FILED.
THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH A PILOT USING A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF N59UM. THE RADAR TRACKING SHOWS THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WITH A RADAR ?HIT? AT 01:20 SATURDAY MORNING. THE INDIANA STATE POLICE AVIATION DIVISION ON SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 28, 2018 LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND INVERTED IN A DENSELY WOODED AREA.
ON-SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER APPEARS TO SHOW THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING ANY POWER AT THE TIME OF COLLISION WITH THE SURROUNDING TREES AND GROUND.
A FUEL RECEIPT SHOWED THAT THE PILOT PURCHASED 31 GALLONS OF 100LL AT 9:09PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME AT THE RICKENBACKER AIRPORT. THE TAKE OFF FROM THIS AIRPORT, WITH A DESTINATION OF MARSHALL COUNTY WAS MADE SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. ENROUTE, THE PILOT RECEIVED FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND CHANGED HIS DESTINATION TO DANVILLE, ILLINOIS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. AT TIMES, ATC SHOWED A GROUND SPEED OF 39 KNOTS DUE TO STRONG HEADWINDS IN THE AREA. THE STRAIGHT LINE DISTANCE BETWEEN ?KLCK? AND ?KDNV? IS 216 NAUTICAL MILES. ESTIMATED TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE IS FOR MORE THAN FOUR HOURS.
INFORMATION FOUND ON THE CESSNA 172-F SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT CARRIED 42 GALLONS OF FUEL WITH 38 BEING USEABLE. THIS AIRCRAFT HAD AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS INSTALLED BUT WAS PLACARDED AS INOPERATIVE.
FUEL MISMANAGEMENT AND FUEL EXHAUSTION IS THE PROBABLE CAUSE.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD CONDUCTED AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.