- Date
- October 12, 2003, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lysite, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4981ECessna 182R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031012026199A
- Case key
- 58154
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot's fuel mismanagement resulting in the loss of engine power and the subsequent forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing and the nose over.
Analysis
According to the pilot, while returning from surveying cattle on his ranch, he was flying approximately 500 feet agl when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that, the fuel gauge was indicating "10 to 15 [gallons] on the right and E[empty] on the left tank." The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unable to regain engine power. He turned towards a nearby ridgeline and made a forced landing. The airplane struck the ground, and nosed over. The pilot said that he had flown the airplane several times for a total of approximately 6 hours since he last refueled.
Factual narrative
On October 12, 2003, at approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182R, N4981E, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing approximately 20 nautical miles north-northeast of Lysite, Wyoming. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Lost Cabin, Wyoming, at approximately 0700.
According to the pilot, while returning from surveying cattle on his ranch, he was flying approximately 500 feet agl when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that, the fuel gauge was indicating "10 to 15 [gallons] on the right and E[empty] on the left tank." The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unable to regain engine power. He turned towards a nearby ridgeline and made a forced landing. The airplane struck the ground, and nosed over. The airplane's left and right wings were bent downward, the left wing strut was buckled, and the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The pilot said that he had flown the airplane several times for a total of approximately 6 hours since he last refueled.
According to the Cessna 182 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), with a total of 88 gallons of useable fuel, and while operating between 65 and 75 percent power, the fuel endurance is approximately 7 hours.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4981E
- Reported as
- Cessna 182R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18268285
- Airframe hours
- 2,047.4
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert Hendry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 13, 2003 · 68.1 hours before
- Departed
- WY34 · Lysite, WY
- Destination
- WY34 · Lysite, WY
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,238 total · 2,111 in this make and model · 2,238 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KWRL, 30 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.