What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At 10:23 PDT the Cessna 195 departed gillespie field in El Cajon, CA. Requesting extended right traffic. 10 minutes after departure the pilot declared emergency due to engine failure.
The pilot attempted to restart the engine unsuccessfully which resulted in a forced landing by the freeway, three miles short of the runway. No signs of fuel spill were detected at the accident site. Both fuel filler caps were found secured on the wings and a total of 3.5 gallons were drained from both wings. Prior to the accident flight the aircraft underwent a major repair that required both fuel tanks to be drained. When the major repair was completed after nine months, the mechanics refilled the tanks with the previously drained fuel, about 7 gallons per wing. The pilot stated that he did not fuel the aircraft prior to the accident flight which was to be a post maintenance test flight. The pilot believed he had enough fuel for the intended flight based on his recollection of fuel remaining from the previous flight. The pilot previous flight took place nine months prior to the accident flight.
As the FAA filed it
AT 10:23 PDT THE CESSNA 195 DEPARTED GILLESPIE FIELD IN EL CAJON, CA. REQUESTING EXTENDED RIGHT TRAFFIC. 10 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE.
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE UNSUCCESSFULLY WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING BY THE FREEWAY, THREE MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. NO SIGNS OF FUEL SPILL WERE DETECTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. BOTH FUEL FILLER CAPS WERE FOUND SECURED ON THE WINGS AND A TOTAL OF 3.5 GALLONS WERE DRAINED FROM BOTH WINGS. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT UNDERWENT A MAJOR REPAIR THAT REQUIRED BOTH FUEL TANKS TO BE DRAINED. WHEN THE MAJOR REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AFTER NINE MONTHS, THE MECHANICS REFILLED THE TANKS WITH THE PREVIOUSLY DRAINED FUEL, ABOUT 7 GALLONS PER WING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT FUEL THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WHICH WAS TO BE A POST MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE PILOT BELIEVED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT BASED ON HIS RECOLLECTION OF FUEL REMAINING FROM THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE PILOT PREVIOUS FLIGHT TOOK PLACE NINE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.