CHI06CA022

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 180 · Manitowish Wate, WI · October 27, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 27, 2005, 15:43 local (20:43 UTC)
Place
Manitowish Wate, WI
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N20KKCessna 180
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report January 31, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration - Milwaukee FSDO
FAA report
20051027033949A
Case key
62772

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor to the accident was the trees the airplane impacted during the forced landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Forced landingEmergency descent/landing
In flight collision with objectEmergency descent/landing
Object - tree(s)Factor
In flight collision with terrain/waterEmergency descent/landing
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The airplane experienced a loss of engine power while on final approach. The pilot reported that he fueled the airplane to capacity before the first flight of the day. The pilot stated that he flew from Manitowish Waters (D25) to Ashland (ASX). Then he flew 2.1 hours during a biennial flight review. After completing the flight review, the pilot flew from ASX to Land O' Lakes (LNL) to pickup a passenger and then flew back to D25. The pilot stated that while on final approach to D25, at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The airplane impacted trees and terrain during the subsequent forced landing. One gallon of fuel was drained from the airplane after the accident. There was no evidence of fuel spill or drainage at the accident site. The engine started and ran without anomalies when supplied with fuel. The pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he did not visually check the fuel quantity prior to departing on the accident flight.

Factual narrative

This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.

Aircraft

Registration
N20KK
Reported as
Cessna 180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
31022
Airframe hours
1,689.5
Engine
Continental O-470-J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2005 · 20.3 hours before
Departed
LNL · Land O' Lakes, WI
Destination
D25 · Manitowish Wate, WI
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
D25 · Manitowish Waters Airport, runway 32, 3,500 × 60 ft, asphalt

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
53
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 1, 2005
Seat
Left
Flight hours
650 total · 150 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
300° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.27 inHg
Observed at
ARV, 14 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.