# NTSB ATL02LA127: Cessna 182Q, N759TY, Lawrenceburg, TN, June 19, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 19, 2002, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Lawrenceburg, TN - Coordinates: 35.126667, -87.354446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1267&lon=-87.3544&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Nashville FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54986 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA127 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54986/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54986 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA127 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to secure the fuel cap after refueling that resulted in fuel siphoning from the right main fuel tank and the subsequent fuel supply exhaustion, and the total loss of engine power. The airplane was damaged during the forced landing to a field. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, standing - pre-flight - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system,cap - not secured - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, cruise - fuel system,cap - siphoning - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - plowed/furrowed - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated she refueled the airplane twice before departing on the VFR flight. She completed a preflight inspection of the airplane after the first refueling. She requested an additional 5 gallons of fuel be added to the right main fuel tank. She did not conduct another preflight inspection to ensure the fuel had been added or check the fuel cap before she departed. The pilot reported that she did not recheck the fuel caps after the second refueling. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. A forced landing was made to a field. The airplane collided with plowed furrows on landing flare/touchdown, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a pre crash mechanical malfunction. The left and right main fuel tanks were not ruptured and no fuel was present in either fuel tank. Fuel streaking was present on the top of the right wing and the right main fuel cap was not secured. ## Factual narrative On June 19, 2002, about 1400 central daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N759TY, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a reported loss of engine power in the vicinity of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, and nosed over during a forced landing to an open field. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and commercial rated passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Hot Springs, Arkansas, at 1154. The pilot stated she was in cruise flight at 4,000 feet when the engine quit and started again by itself. The engine did this two more times and the airplane started to lose altitude. She activated her GPS to determine the nearest airport. The computer indicated an airport was 8 miles north of their location. She realized she could not make the airport and initiated a forced landing to a field. On touch down the airplane collided with plowed furrows and nosed over inverted. The post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the left and right fuel tanks were not ruptured. The left main fuel tank had a tight seal and the fuel tank was empty. The right fuel cap was loose and there was evidence of fuel streaking on the top of the right wing. No fuel was present in the right main fuel tank. About 6 ounces of fuel was drained from the gascolator. The airplane also sustained damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that she refueled the airplane twice before departing on the visual flight. She completed a preflight inspection after she refueled the first time and visually checked the fuel cap. She decided to add more fuel to the airplane before she departed. The refueler added the fuel but the pilot did not check the fuel caps before she departed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N759TY](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N759TY), registered now, S/N 18266257, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182Q - Registry model: [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (registry code 2072732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18266257 - Airframe hours: 2763 - Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Earline Arnold - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 8, 2002, 58 hours before - Departed: HOT, Hot Springs, AR - Destination: FYM, Fayetteville, TN - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 14, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,186 total, 745 in this make and model, 1,066 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: 2M2, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020619014309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020619014309A), Jun 19, 2002: Cessna 182Q, Leomore, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) N759TY, CE-182 was en route from hot springs, Arkansas to fayetteville, Tennessee, when the aircraft engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. Pilot made an… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54986. 1.1 MB in all. - Supplement E (item 1, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448710&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 303 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448705&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448706&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Automated Flight Service Station Statement (item 4, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448707&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Automated%20Flight%20Service%20Station%20Statement-Master.PDF - Fuel Statement and Supporting Data (item 5, .PDF, 212 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448708&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Fuel%20Statement%20and%20Supporting%20Data-Master.PDF - Lawrence County Sherriff Report (item 6, .PDF, 291 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448709&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Lawrence%20County%20Sherriff%20Report-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.