ATL96LA062

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152U · Rincon, GA · March 10, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 10, 1996, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC)
Place
Rincon, GA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N68129Cessna 152U
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 4, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960310003809A
Case key
3704

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Inaccurate fuel consumption calculations by the pilot, and an inadequate supply of fuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent nose over of the airplane, during a forced landing on uneven terrain with high vegetation (small trees).

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Fuel consumption calculations - inaccuratePilot in commandCause
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Fuel supply - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
Nose overEmergency landing
Terrain condition - high vegetation
Terrain condition - rough/uneven

Analysis

At about the time the flight was cleared to land at the destination airport, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot selected a forced landing site. He said that the mixture was at full rich and carburetor heat had been applied, when the loss of engine power occurred. During the landing, the airplane collided with trees of small diameter. As the airplane rolled out, the nose wheel hit a mound of dirt, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane without injury. A postaccident investigation revealed that there was no fuel in the airplane fuel tanks and no fuel or fuel residue on the ground at the accident site. During a postaccident engine run, the engine was fully operational. The pilot reported his planned flight time en route to his destination to be three hours and seventeen minutes at 75% power setting. According to the Cessna 152 flight manual, the maximum endurance at 75% power (allowing for unusable fuel) was three hours and five minutes.

Factual narrative

On March 10, 1996 about 1350 eastern standard time a Cessna 152U, N68129, collided with trees and then the ground in Rincon, Georgia. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR part 91, and instrument flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Tullahoma, Tennessee, on the same day, at an undetermined time.

The flight was cleared to land at Savannah International Airport when the engine began to run roughly. The pilot selected a forced landing site. The pilot reported that the mixture was full rich and carburetor heat was applied at the time of the loss of engine power. During the emergency descent the airplane collided with trees of small diameter. As the airplane rolled out, the nose wheel hit a mound of dirt and nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted, and the pilot and passenger exited the airplane without injury.

A post accident investigation of the wreckage found that there was no fuel in the aircraft fuel tanks or any fuel or fuel residue on the ground at the accident site. A post accident engine run found the engine to be fully operational.

The pilot reported his planned flight time enroute to his destination to be three hours and seventeen minutes at 75% power setting. According to the Cessna 152 flight manual, the maximum endurance at 75% power is three hours and five minutes.

Aircraft

Registration
N68129
Reported as
Cessna 152U
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15282136
Airframe hours
5,748
Engine
Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Mike Ulmer
Registered owner
Tullahoma Aviation Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 2, 1996
Departed
THA · Tullahoma, TN
Destination
SAV · Savannah, GA
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
SAV · Savannah International

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
49
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,824 total · 6 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 14 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
23,000 ft overcast
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
SAV, 3 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.