- Date
- July 7, 2009, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ballinger, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7589SCessna 182Q
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090707010879A
- Case key
- 74225
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During his pre-flight check, the pilot estimated that he had eight gallons of fuel on-board the airplane. He departed with the intention of obtaining fuel but by-passed two nearby airfields with fuel service in favor of an airport in the vicinity of the accident location. Prior to reaching his destination and while in cruise flight, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot selected a field for a forced landing. During the approach to landing, the airplane struck a fence and a tree before coming to rest upright in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The pilot's operating handbook for the Cessna 182 states there are four gallons of usable fuel on board the aircraft.
Factual narrative
During his pre-flight check, the pilot estimated that he had eight gallons of fuel on-board the airplane. He departed with the intention of obtaining fuel but by-passed two nearby airfields with fuel service in favor of an airport in the vicinity of the accident location. Prior to reaching his destination and while in cruise flight, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot selected a field for a forced landing. During the approach to landing, the airplane struck a fence and a tree before coming to rest upright in the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The pilot's operating handbook for the Cessna 182 states there are four gallons of usable fuel on board the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7589S
- Reported as
- Cessna 182Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18265238
- Airframe hours
- 5,400
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pfau Cory D
- Registered owner
- Pfau Cory D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 8, 2008
- Departed
- KT88 · Colorado City, TX
- Destination
- E30 · Ballinger, TX
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 8, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 310 total · 200 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KSJT, 33 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 748 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7589S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.