# NTSB IAD98LA091: Cessna T337G, N8CX, Windsor Twnship, PA, August 9, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 9, 1998, 13:38 local (17:38 UTC) - Place: Windsor Twnship, PA - Coordinates: 40.000709, -76.769424 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0007&lon=-76.7694&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 4 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43680 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD98LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43680/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA091 ## Probable cause The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - fuel management - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was north of Lancaster at an altitude of 8,500 feet, when he requested an IFR clearance to descend below the cloud cover. Once the clearance was received for the descent, he extended the landing gear. While descending through 4,000 feet, the front engine lost power, and within 30 seconds, the rear engine lost power. He recalled that he saw 100 pounds of fuel indicating on both fuel gauges. He stated that he did not raise the landing gear, and because neither of his engines had unfeathering devices, he did not feather either engine. The pilot stated that the controller vectored him to an airport 6 miles away, but when he realized that he was unable to reach it, he executed a forced landing into a cornfield. He further stated that about 10 feet above the field, the right wing dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground in a right wing down, nose down attitude. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The Inspector reported that approximately 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the wreckage. The Pilot's Operating Handbook recovered from the airplane indicated that the total fuel tank capacity was 125 gallons, which included 2 unusable gallons. ## Factual narrative On August 9, 1998, about 1338 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna T337G, N8CX, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing near Windsor Township, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot/owner and three passengers received serious injuries, and a fourth passenger received minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from the Portland International Jetport (PWM), Portland, Maine, about 1050, and was destined for the Lancaster Airport (LNS), Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The pilot stated that he was north of Lancaster at an altitude of 8,500 feet, when he requested an IFR clearance to descend below the cloud cover. Once the clearance was received for the descent, he extended the landing gear. While descending through 4,000 feet, the front engine lost power, and within 30 seconds, the rear engine lost power. He recalled that he saw 100 pounds of fuel indicating on both fuel gauges. He stated that he did not raise the landing gear, and because neither of his engines had unfeathering devices, he did not feather either engine. The pilot stated that the controller vectored him to an airport 6 miles away, but when he realized that he was unable to reach it, he executed a forced landing into a cornfield. He further stated that about 10 feet above the field, the right wing dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground in a right wing down, nose down attitude. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. He stated that the fuel caps were intact and secured. There was no fuel streaking around the fuel caps or drain areas, and the fuel tanks had maintained their integrity. The Inspector reported that approximately 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the wreckage. The Pilot's Operating Handbook recovered from the airplane indicated that the total fuel tank capacity was 125 gallons, which includes 2 unusable gallons. Before departure, the pilot purchased 70 gallons of fuel. He stated that during his preflight check, the fuel was about 2 inches below the lip of the refueling cap, and the needle on both fuel gauges read about 1/8 inch from the full end of the gauge. He estimated that there were 93 gallons of fuel onboard. His VFR flight plan to LNS indicated 2 hours 30 minutes en route, with a total of 4 hours of fuel onboard. The pilot reported, that for flight planning purposes, he utilized a 25 gallons-per-hour consumption rate (both engines). According to the pilot's written statement, "Fuel exhaustion resulted from an increase in fuel usage from 23 GPH to 32 GPH. The fuel increase is related to returning the front engine from the configuration purchased to the proper configuration per the Continental manual during overhaul." The front engine was overhauled on July 15, 1998. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8CX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8CX-1998-09-29), registration cancelled 1998-09-29, S/N P3370079 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T337G - Registry model: [Cessna T337G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t337g) (registry code 2075726) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: P3370079 - Airframe hours: 3126 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-C 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gary Poulin, doing business as Skymaster Of Virginia Inc. - Registered owner: Skymaster Of Virginia, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 1998, 13 hours before - Departed: PWM, PORTLAND, ME - Destination: LNS, LANCASTER, PA - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 943 total, 191 in this make and model, 868 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 5 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BGR, 17 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 19980809025759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980809025759A), Aug 9, 1998: Cessna T337G, Windsor Townshi, PA, Substantial damage. (.4) The pilot stated that fuel exhaustion resulted from an increase in fuel usage from 23 gallons-per-hour to 32 gallons-per-hour. The fuel increase was… 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.