# NTSB FTW93LA204: Cessna 177B, N18739, Shawnee, OK, July 4, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 3, 1993, 21:50 local (Jul 4, 1993, 02:50 UTC) - Place: Shawnee, OK - Location: 35.3273° N, 96.9253° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Shawnee, OK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3273&lon=-96.9253&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18786 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA204 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18786/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA204 ## Probable cause FUEL SYSTEM EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS A LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - fuel system - exhaustion (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - fence - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN TOPPED WITH FUEL PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED TO THE INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS. A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED APPROXIMTELY 5 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM INDICATED ZERO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND LESS THAN 1/2 GALLON IN THE RIGHT TANK. AN ENGINE TEST RUN WAS CONDUCTED WITH NO ANOMALIES. AN EXAMINATION OF THE PUSH PULL CABLE, UTILIZED FOR DRAINING THE FUEL STRAINER, REVEALED THAT THE CABLE WAS HARD TO MOVE. DURING TWO OUT OF TWENTY TO THIRTY MOVEMENTS THE CABLE FAILED TO SEAT THE FUEL STRAINER AND FUEL SEEPED FROM THE STRAINER DRAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE DRAIN AREA AND AIRFRAME DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL STAINS. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT 1835. FLIGHT DURATION WAS ABOUT 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES. ## Factual narrative On July 3, 1993, at approximately 2150 central daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N18739, sustained substantial damage near Shawnee, Oklahoma, following a forced landing due to a loss of engine power. The private pilot, a pilot rated passenger, and a child were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area for the personal cross country flight. During interviews, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the investigator in charge, with the pilot and passengers, the following information was revealed. Earlier that day the pilot had flown from Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Grain Valley, Missouri. The pilot requested the fixed base operator to fuel the tanks. Refueling was not observed by the pilot. Upon his return to the airport, the pilot secured a fuel ticket for 20 gallons of fuel. The pilot stated to the investigator in charge that during the preflight, he did not look in the fuel tanks. The flight departed Grain Valley, Missouri, airport. During the straight in approach to runway 17 at Shawnee, Oklahoma, approximately five miles north of the airport, the engine lost total power. The pilot tried to restart the engine; however, he could not hear the engine trying to turn. A forced landing was initiated. During the landing roll, the airplane went through a fence and struck some trees. The airplane came to rest on a heading approximately 180 degrees from the approach heading. An examination by the inspector indicated flight control continuity. Total en route flight time was three hours and fifteen minutes. The cockpit fuel selector was selected to both tanks. There was no evidence of fuel in the left wing tank and the right wing tank had less than 1/2 gallon of fuel. When the engine fuel strainer cable was pulled, fuel did not drain. An engine test run was conducted with no anomalies. An examination of the push pull cable, utilized for draining the fuel strainer, revealed that the cable was hard to move. During two out of twenty to thirty movements, the cable did not seat the strainer and fuel seeped from the drain. There was no physical evidence of fuel stains in the area of the drain or adjacent areas of the airframe. The airplane was released to the owner following the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N18739](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18739), registered now, S/N 17702553, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B - Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17702553 - Airframe hours: 1148 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Autry, Donald D. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 27, 1992, 59 hours before - Departed: 3GV, GRAIN VALLEY, MO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 104 total, 20 in this make and model, 56 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 160° at 18 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: OKC, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930704022049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930704022049A), Jul 4, 1993: Cessna 177B, Shawnee, OK, Substantial damage. Lost power, landed in field. 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.