# NTSB FTW93LA240: Cessna 177B, N34689, Houston, TX, August 16, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 15, 1993, 21:53 local (Aug 16, 1993, 02:53 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.909246, -95.650573 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9092&lon=-95.6506&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 1, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18818 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA240 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18818/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA240 ## Probable cause ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR AND RECALCULATE FUEL CONSUMPTION EN ROUTE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH THE FORCED LANDING COULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - normal - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - not corrected, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - rough/uneven - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis FOLLOWING A COMPLETE POWER LOSS, THE PILOT EXECUTED A NIGHT FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THE 4:30 CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE HAD 6:33 ENDURANCE FOR THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER 4:18. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE WAS FOUND AT THE SITE AND THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKAGE STAINS FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE. A SUBSEQUENT TEST RUN WITH THE CARBURETOR ON AN OVERHAULED ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL METERING WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT PERFORM EN ROUTE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS DUE TO THE MARGIN OF FUEL HE HAD ONBOARD AT TAKEOFF. ## Factual narrative On Sunday, August 15, 1993, at 2153 central daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N34689, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field in Houston, Texas. The forced landing was executed following a complete power loss. The airplane, flown by a private pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. There was a VFR flight plan filed and night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the forced landing. Neither the pilot nor the two passengers were injured. The flight had departed Ponca City, Oklahoma, at 1735, en route to Hull Field in Houston, Texas. According to the pilot, he checked the fuel tanks during preflight and they were, according to him, spilling over. Refueling records were obtained for the entire trip and they indicated that the airplane was topped off prior to departure. Upon arrival in the Houston area, the pilot descended from his cruise altitude to 2,700 feet and turned west to avoid the TCA. He stated that shortly thereafter, the RPM began to drop. He checked the fuel selector to make sure it was on both, activated the boost pump, and applied carburetor heat. He stated that the RPM surged once and then the engine lost all power. He subsequently landed in open field with rough terrain. Examination of the airplane in the field revealed there was no fuel on board. No evidence of fuel spillage was found at the accident site and there was no evidence of fuel leakage or stains found on the airplane. The accident carburetor was subsequently run on a newly overhauled exemplar engine. The test run produced a run of 5 minutes and 5 seconds on one gallon of fuel, while the test run on the exemplar carburetor produced a run time of 4 minutes and 52 seconds, both at 5 psi of fuel pressure. Both runs were made at 2,350 static RPM. According to the pilot and ATC records, the airplane was airborne for 4 hours and 18 minutes, between the time of departure and the time of the power loss. A review of the manufacturer's performance data for the atmospheric conditions that prevailed and the power settings used by the pilot, indicated fuel consumption would have been about 9.1 gallons per hour with a 6 hour and 33 minute endurance. The operator's fuel consumption experience for the two years prior to the accident were consistent with the performance data obtained from the manufacturer. The pilot stated that he did not compute his fuel consumption during the accident flight as he had determined the amount required prior to takeoff and found that he had a reserve of 2 hours and 15 minutes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34689](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N34689-1995-05-22), registration cancelled 1995-05-22, S/N 17701941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B - Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17701941 - Airframe hours: 3187 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: West Houston Aero Club, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 29, 1993 - Departed: PNC, PONCA CITY, OK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 147 total, 11 in this make and model, 104 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: IAH, 19 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 19930815029339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930815029339A), Aug 15, 1993: Cessna 177B, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. Ran out of fuel enroute 2 hrs short of fuel range. Landed rough terrain. Carburetor tested higher normal fuel use. 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.