# NTSB CEN09CA327: Cessna 177, N2872X, Houston, TX, May 30, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 30, 2009, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 30.061666, -95.55278 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0617&lon=-95.5528&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 13, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 73936 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA327 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73936/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73936 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA327 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=2073704), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2073704), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=2073704), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Cessna 177, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073704), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, prior to departure he had "four inches of fuel on his fuel stick" which equated to eight gallons of fuel on his fuel reference chart. He intended to fly for thirty minutes. At the time of the accident the pilot estimated that he had thirty minutes or four gallons of fuel remaining. He was cleared for landing when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. During the forced landing the airplane struck a telephone pole resulting in substantial damage to the right wing; the wing spar and ribs were bent. An examination of both fuel tanks, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed less than a quart of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies. According to the fuel consumption charts located in the pilot operating handbook for a Cessna 177, the flight as planned would have required between six and eight gallons of fuel. According to the handbook, there is one gallon of unusable fuel in this airplane. ## Factual narrative According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, prior to departure he had "four inches of fuel on his fuel stick" which equated to eight gallons of fuel on his fuel reference chart. He intended to fly for thirty minutes. At the time of the accident the pilot estimated that he had thirty minutes or four gallons of fuel remaining. He was cleared for landing when the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. During the forced landing the airplane struck a telephone pole, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing; the wing spar and ribs were bent. An examination of both fuel tanks, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed less than a quart of fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies. According to the fuel consumption charts located in the pilot operating handbook for a Cessna 177, the flight as planned would have required between six and eight gallons of fuel. According to the handbook, there is one gallon of unusable fuel in this airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2872X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2872X-2012-09-24), registration cancelled 2012-09-24, S/N 17700272, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177 - Registry model: [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (registry code 2073704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17700272 - Airframe hours: 1956 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2009 - Departed: TE88, Rosharon, TX - Destination: DWH, Tomball, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 79 total, 64 in this make and model, 47 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KDWH, 1 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 20090530009149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090530009149A), May 30, 2009: Cessna 177A, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 30, 2009, at approximately 1428 local CDT a Cessna 177 was substantially damaged when the pilot made a forced landing on a city street due to fuel… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73936. 7.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 7.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314707&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.