# NTSB CHI06CA093: Cessna 182G, N3675U, Lebanon, IN, March 17, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 17, 2006, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Lebanon, IN - Coordinates: 40.085277, -86.367225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0853&lon=-86.3672&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Indianapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63452 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06CA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63452/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA093 ## Probable cause Failure by the flightcrew (dual student and flight instructor) to accurately determine the fuel quantity prior to flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. An additional cause was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight due to his failure to personally verify the fuel quantity on-board. Contributing factors were the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing and the ditch (small ravine). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, flightcrew (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, flightcrew (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. During the forced landing, the airplane encountered a "shallow ravine" and nosed over. A post accident inspection revealed that there was no useable fuel in the fuel tanks or fuel lines. The flight instructor stated that during the preflight inspection he relied on the dual student's verification of the fuel level in the tanks, and he did not personally verify the fuel quantity before flight. He noted that the fuel quantity gauges indicated between 1/2 and 3/4 full at the time. ## Factual narrative On March 17, 2006, about 1515 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182G, N3675U, piloted by a dual student and a flight instructor, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lebanon, Indiana. The instructional flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The student and flight instructor were not injured. The local flight departed Boone County Airport (6I4), Lebanon, Indiana, approximately 1445. The flight instructor reported that he conducted a pre-flight inspection and "checked with [the dual student] regarding the fuel levels. [The dual student] indicated that he had sumped the tanks and they had a minimum of 1/2 full on both sides." The flight instructor stated that the left fuel tank gauge indicated 1/2 full, and the right fuel tank gauge indicated between 1/2 and 3/4 full prior to the flight. The flight instructor stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded approximately 10 miles north of the airport in order to practice private pilot ground reference maneuvers. He reported that after approximately 25 minutes "the engine began sputtering and died." He noted that he assumed control of the airplane and established best glide airspeed. His attempts to restore engine power were not successful. The flight instructor noted that he subsequently executed a forced landing to a field, touching down approximately 55 knots. The airplane had slowed to approximately 20 knots when it encountered a "shallow ravine." The nose wheel "dug into the ground" causing the airplane to nose over, according to the flight instructor. Concerning recommendations on preventing the accident, the flight instructor stated: "My regular routine pre-flight involves visually checking the fuel levels. On this particular day, I conferred with [the dual student] and relied upon his inspection of the fuel tanks. . . . Looking back, I did not question [the dual student] thoroughly on the details of how he checked the [fuel] levels, nor did I do a visual verification on the fuel tanks." A post accident inspection conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector determined there was no useable fuel in the fuel tanks or fuel lines. In addition, no evidence of a fuel spill or fuel cap leak was observed at the accident site. The FAA inspector also determined that the airplane had flown approximately 4.8 hours since it was last refueled. The airplane's fuel capacity was 79 gallons, and the normal fuel burn ranged from 15 to 18 gallons per hour. ## Aircraft - Registration: N3675U (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182G - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18255075 - Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2005 - Departed: 6I4, Lebanon, IN - Airport: 6I4, Boone County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 43; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 813 total, 3 in this make and model, 790 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 50; injuries: none; seat: left; flight hours: 7 total, 2 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.30 inHg - Observed at: EYE, 13 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 20060317006019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060317006019A), Mar 17, 2006: Cessna 182G, Lebanon, IN, Substantial damage. (-23) On March 17, 2006 a CE-182 being used on an instructional flight made an off airport landing due to fuel starvation. The aircraft had been operated for… 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.