- Date
- March 30, 1994, 15:54 local (21:54 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4646BCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940330007259A
- Case key
- 19022
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were the wire strike and lack of suitable terrain.
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.
Analysis
Following the loss of engine power the pilot switched fuel selectors from the both position to the left tank and attempted an engine restart. During the forced landing the aircraft struck a power line and descended out of control to ground impacted .25 miles short of the threshold. An examination of the aircraft revealed that the right tank contained 2.5 gallons of fuel and the left tank 6.5 gallons of fuel. Two and one half gallons in each tank is unusable.
Factual narrative
On March 30, 1994, at 1554 central standard time, a Cessna 180, N4646B, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Austin, Texas. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot stated that on final approach the aircraft lost engine power. He further stated that he could not reach the runway and impacted the ground approximately a quarter of a mile short of the runway. At the time of the loss of engine power the fuel selector was in the both position and was switched to the left tank. During the interview the pilot further stated that he attempted to restart the engine but was unable to do so.
An inspection of the accident scene revealed that the airplane struck a power line. The pilot reported following the wire strike the aircraft turned left and impacted the ground.
An inspection of the airplane revealed that the left wing contained 6.5 gallons of fuel and the right contained 2.5 gallons of fuel. The inspection also revealed that the engine exhibited no damage and there was no evidence of a fuel leak. A check of the manufacturer's specifications revealed that each wing had 2.5 gallons of unusable fuel. During the inspection it was determined that the wings and structural portions of the aircraft had sustained damage.
Followup testing included an engine run. The engine started without problems. The engine was cycled through the RPM ranges and it continued to run without any malfunctions.
The aircraft was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4646B
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31544
- Engine
- Continental 470J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mann, Richard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TCC · Tucumcari, NM
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- AUS · Robert Mueller, runway 35, 5,006 × 150 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 420 in this make and model · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.