- Date
- March 9, 2019, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Land O' Lakes, WI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N52047Cessna 177RG
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190309001079A
- Case key
- 99104
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 pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, on a previous flight, the airplane had been filled with fuel and flown for about 3.8 hours. He added that he attempted to refuel the airplane for the accident flight but that the self-service fuel station at the departure airport "failed to dispense fuel." He stated that he visually checked the tanks and calculated that there would be enough fuel to make the flight. He added that, after departing, during cruise flight about 1,800 ft above ground level, the "engine stopped" and that he then set the "best glide speed" toward a nearby airport. After realizing the airplane would not reach the airport, he executed a 180º turn and landed the airplane on a snow-covered, frozen lake with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that on a previous flight the airplane had been filled and flown for about 3.8 hours, he attempted to refuel the airplane but the self-service fuel station at the departure airport "failed to dispense fuel". The tanks were "checked visually" and after calculations, he determined that there would be enough fuel to make the flight. After departing, during cruise flight, about 1,800 ft above ground level, the "engine stopped." He set the "best glide speed" toward a nearby airport. As he approached the airport, it "became apparent that they would not make the airport." He then executed a 180º turn and landed on a snow covered, frozen lake with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52047
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG1153
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 3,658
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 2018
- Departed
- OGM · Ontonagon, MI
- Destination
- EGV · Eagle River, WI
- Airport
- LNL · Kings Land O'Lakes
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 81
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 18, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,720 total · 240 in this make and model · 2,720 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KLNL, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 9, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.