# NTSB IAD97LA053: Cessna 175, N9485B, Weirs Cave, VA, March 10, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 9, 1997, 20:12 local (Mar 10, 1997, 01:12 UTC) - Place: Weirs Cave, VA - Coordinates: 38.279422, -78.919708 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2794&lon=-78.9197&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28178 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD97LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28178/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97LA053 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and inaccurate fuel calculations, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Darkness and high vegetation in the forced landing area were related factors. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - light condition - night (contributing factor) - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor) ## Analysis After refueling the airplane with 43.1 gallons of fuel, the pilot departed at 1645, for the return cross-country flight. Twenty miles from his destination, the engine began running rough. The pilot applied carburetor heat, and the situation remedied itself. Shortly thereafter, at 2012, the engine stopped completely. The airplane impacted the terrain in a partially wooded field about 3 miles north of his destination. Minimum (residual) fuel was found during a post-accident examination of the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector stated that there were no signs of fuel stains on the wreckage to indicate that fuel was leaking from the fuel tanks, or from elsewhere. The pilot stated that he had 52 gallons of fuel for flight planning purposes. The Cessna owner's manual indicates the total fuel capacity was 52 gallons, with 43 gallons usable. The cruise performance chart in the owner's manual indicated that at 5,000 feet altitude with a 72% power setting and the mixture rich, the engine would use 12.3 gallons of fuel per hour, with an endurance time of 3.5 hours. ## Factual narrative On March 9, 1997, about 2012 eastern standard time, a Cessna 175, N9485B, was substantially damaged when it impacted the terrain during a forced landing from cruise flight near Weirs Cave, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross country flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Morristown Municipal Airport, Morristown, New Jersey, about 1645. The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet and 20 miles from his destination when the engine began to run rough. The pilot suspected carburetor icing, applied carburetor heat, and the "situation remedied itself." According to the pilot, "the situation repeated itself," so, he again applied carburetor heat and descended to 4,500 feet. At 4,500 feet, the engine stopped completely, and the pilot set up for a forced landing. The pilot reported that the right fuel gauge needle indicated approximately a quarter tank, and the left fuel gauge needle indicated "a little over empty, but was not functioning." The pilot stated that "he had no reason to believe that the fuel was exhausted because I had topped off at Morristown." The airplane impacted the terrain in a partially wooded field about 3 miles north of Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector examined the wreckage. The FAA Inspector reported that there was less than 2 cups of fuel in the main fuel line, a third of a cup in the carburetor, with the gascolator about half full. According to the Inspector, "the ground immediately in the vicinity of where the fuel line to the carburetor was broken, showed a 3 to 6 inch fuel stain which was not wet in the vicinity of the broken line." The Inspector continued, "there were no signs of fuel stains to indicate that fuel was leaking from the fuel tanks, or from elsewhere." The Cessna owner's manual stated that the airplane's total fuel capacity was 52 gallons, with 43 gallons useable. The cruise performance chart in the owner's manual indicated that the cruise performance with rich mixture at 5,000 feet altitude and 72% power would yield 12.3 gallons of fuel per hour, with and endurance time of 3.5 hours. The pilot had 8 total hours in make and model prior to this cross country flight. He reported refueling the airplane with 43.1 gallons at Morristown Municipal Airport, prior to his return flight to Shenandoah Valley Airport. When questioned by the FAA Inspector on the airplane's fuel system, the pilot stated that the fuel available for flight planning was 52 gallons. The FAA Inspector commented that the pilot's description of how he leaned the fuel was vague, and that "the pilot's knowledge of the aircraft and its systems was very weak." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9485B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9485B), registered now, S/N 55285, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 175 - Registry model: [Cessna 175](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (registry code 2072502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental GO-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-go-300-series) (registry code 17024, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 55285 - Engines: Continental GO-300-A 175 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Shenandoah Flt Svc Inc. - Registered owner: Sfs Aircraft Partnership - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MMU, MORRISTOWN, NJ - Destination: SHD, VA - Airport: SHD, Shenandoah Valley ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 268 total, 16 in this make and model, 148 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 190° at 9 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SHD, 3 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 19970309047959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970309047959A), Mar 9, 1997: Cessna 175, Wierscave, VA, Substantial damage. (-16) Pilot did not receive accurate information when checked out in CE-175 regarding fuel burn requirements and flight planning, nor did pilot adequately plan… 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.