20230626009359A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 177 · Hot Springs, AR · June 26, 2023

Date: June 26, 2023 · 08:05 local
Place: Hot Springs, AR
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3138T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN23FA258
Reported as: Cessna 177
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 160 total6 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N3138TRegistered now · Cessna 177S/N 17700438 · Built 1968 Airframe modelCessna 177 Engine 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.

Aircraft took off from sweetwater Texas (ksww) on the morning of 6/25/2023 after filling the fuel tanks for a destination of Hot Springs Arkansas (khot). As the aircraft was nearing Arkansas the pilot elected to land that evening at dequeen Arkansas (kdeq) due to weather at the destination airport of Hot Springs Arkansas (khot). In the morning of 6/26/2023 the pilot checked the fuel level and it indicated right tank empty and left tank at 1/4 indicated (passenger stated). The pilot went to go get fuel and the self serve station be before flight. The reading from the fuel pump showed that a card was ran and approved but 0 gallons were pumped. The pilot elected to continue to Hot Springs (khot) on arrival to khot unicom/ctaf received a communication from the accident aircraft that it was low on fuel. Moments later another communication that the engine had stopped running. The aircraft stalled/spun into lake hamilton approximately 3600 ft short of runway 5 (khot).

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM SWEETWATER TEXAS (KSWW) ON THE MORNING OF 6/25/2023 AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANKS FOR A DESTINATION OF HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS (KHOT). AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEARING ARKANSAS THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THAT EVENING AT DEQUEEN ARKANSAS (KDEQ) DUE TO WEATHER AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT OF HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS (KHOT). IN THE MORNING OF 6/26/2023 THE PILOT CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL AND IT INDICATED RIGHT TANK EMPTY AND LEFT TANK AT 1/4 INDICATED (PASSENGER STATED). THE PILOT WENT TO GO GET FUEL AND THE SELF SERVE STATION BE BEFORE FLIGHT. THE READING FROM THE FUEL PUMP SHOWED THAT A CARD WAS RAN AND APPROVED BUT 0 GALLONS WERE PUMPED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO HOT SPRINGS (KHOT) ON ARRIVAL TO KHOT UNICOM/CTAF RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT THAT IT WAS LOW ON FUEL. MOMENTS LATER ANOTHER COMMUNICATION THAT THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED/SPUN INTO LAKE HAMILTON APPROXIMATELY 3600 FT SHORT OF RUNWAY 5 (KHOT).

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 CEN23FA258Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportHot Springs, ARThe pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning and inflight fuel mismanagement, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the forced landing, which resulted in the…Jun 26, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3138T · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870331035519ITo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · Tacoma, WAAborted takeoff when engine ran rough. On restart engine popped, smoke and fire noted. No extinguisher on board.Mar 31, 1987 · Minor damage