- Date
- December 25, 2009, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bowie, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N21177Cessna 182P
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20091225053639A
- Case key
- 75205
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to properly secure the right wing fuel cap and monitor the available fuel supply.
Findings · 4
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
The private pilot topped off both fuel tanks (40 gallons each) prior to departing on a cross-country flight in his single-engine airplane. The pilot stated that he had difficulty securing the fuel cap on the right wing tank. About 2 hours into the flight, with the fuel selector on the left tank, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot noted that the left fuel gauge read empty and he attempted to switch tanks. He was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a deeply snow-covered field. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the wings, firewall, and fuselage. In addition, both wing fuel tanks were empty and the fuel cap on the right wing was missing.
Factual narrative
The private pilot topped off both fuel tanks (40 gallons each) prior to departing on a cross country flight in his single-engine airplane. The pilot stated that he had difficulty securing the fuel cap on the right wing tank after refueling. About 2-hours into the flight, with the fuel selector on the left tank, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot noted that the left fuel guage read empty and he attempted to switch tanks. He was unable to re-start the engine and made a forced landing to a deeply snow-covered field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, firewall, and fuselage. In addition, both wing fuel tanks were found empty and the fuel cap on the right wing was missing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21177
- Reported as
- Cessna 182P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18261466
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Moore Harold D
- Registered owner
- Moore Harold D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 1TA7 · Canton, TX
- Destination
- Altus, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- None
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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,212 total · 135 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 14, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 422 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 N21177 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.