CEN22LA036

During a personal flight, the pilot was descending the airplane for landing and added throttle, but the engine did not respond. The pilot decided to make a forced landing, during which the airplane collided with power lines and terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine found damage in the engine area that precluded documentation of the throttle cable’s full range of travel. Examination of the accident site found no evidence of fuel in the tanks, but fuel did not appear to have leaked from the tanks. The pilot reported that the airplane should have contained at least 10 gallons of fuel. Thus, the pilot’s fuel calculations could have been incorrect, resulting in fuel exhaustion. In addition, the airplane was operating in an area conducive for the formation of serious icing at glide power. However, the pilot stated that he applied carburetor heat and enrichened the mixture when he began descending. The postaccident airplane and engine examination revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. As a result, and based on the available evidence, the reason for the partial loss of engine power was most likely the result of fuel exhaustion.

On October 30, 2021, about 1910 central daylight time, a Cessna 177 airplane, N29615, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Parker County Airport (WEA), Weatherford, Texas. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight departed from Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport (GOK), Guthrie, Oklahoma, about 1733 and was destined for WEA. The pilot stated that the flight was uneventful until the airplane was descending from 10,500 ft mean sea level for landing. At that time, engine power was reduced, carburetor heat was applied, the mixture was enrichened, and the pilot “cleared” the engine by adding and reducing power periodically. The pilot reported that the descent was then “entirely normal” until the last 15 to 20 seconds of flight. The pilot stated that he added “a slight amount” of power, but the engine did not respond. The pilot attempted to restore engine power but was unsuccessful. While maneuvering for a forced landing, the airplane collided with power lines and terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that a sudden loss of engine power (stop or change in rpm) did not occur and that the engine ”simply stopped responding to throttle inputs.” Postaccident examination of the accident site found that the airplane tanks did not appear to contain fuel and that fuel had not leaked from the tanks. The pilot reported that the airplane should have contained at least 10 gallons of fuel. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine was conducted. Accident damage to the engine section prevented documentation of the throttle cable’s full range of travel. The cabling remained properly attached to the carburetor, and no restriction to the throttle arm was noted. No preimpact anomalies were found with the airframe or engine. The pilot mentioned that carburetor icing could have caused the loss of engine power during the accident flight. A review of the Carburetor Icing Probability Chart located in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, dated June 30, 2009, showed that the conditions in which the airplane was operating were conducive to the formation of serious icing at glide power.