# NTSB ATL96LA062: Cessna 152U, N68129, Rincon, GA, March 10, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 10, 1996, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC) - Place: Rincon, GA - Coordinates: 32.290527, -81.229316 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2905&lon=-81.2293&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 4, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3704 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL96LA062 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3704/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96LA062 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose over, emergency 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68129-2011-08-01), registration cancelled 2011-08-01, S/N 15282136, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152U - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15282136 - Airframe hours: 5748 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960310003809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960310003809A), Mar 10, 1996: Cessna 152, Savannah, GA, Destroyed. On approach, reported a loss of power, couldn't make airport, crashed in a field. (.4)at about the time the flight was cleared to land at the destination… 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.