# NTSB MIA02LA123: Cessna CE-182-A, N9996B, Siler City, NC, July 2, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 2002, 01:58 local (05:58 UTC) - Place: Siler City, NC - Coordinates: 35.683334, -79.5 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6833&lon=-79.5000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55127 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55127/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55127 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA123 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the 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, cruise - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated that he had recently purchased the airplane in Deland, Florida, and was ferrying it to Southeast Greensboro Airport, Greensboro, North Carolina. He said that he was enroute to the Siler City Municipal Airport, Siler City, North Carolina, for a scheduled fuel stop, and was approaching the airport at an altitude of about 5,500 feet, when the engine ceased operating. He said after the engine ceased developing power, the propeller continued to windmill, and added that it did not run rough, or sputter. It just ceased operating. He said he made several attempts to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. The airplane crashed about 1 mile short of the approach end of runway 04 at the Siler City Municipal Airport. The pilot stated that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems. The pilot said that when he departed from Deland, Florida, the fuel tanks had been topped off, and he had 55 gallons of usable fuel on board the airplane. He stated that as the flight progressed, he monitored his progress, and based upon information obtained from his Global Positioning System receiver, as well as what the previous owner had told him the fuel consumption was for the airplane, he had cancelled his backup fuel stop at Walterboro, South Carolina. He also stated that at some during the course of the flight, FAA Fayetteville Approach Control had given him a deviation for weather. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident scene stated that during his postcrash examination of the airplane and accident scene, there was little or no fuel found. An FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic with Airways Inc., Climax, North Carolina, who assisted the FAA inspector at the scene stated that a total of 0.877 gallons of fuel was found in the airplane. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 2002, about 0158, eastern daylight time, a Cessna CE-182-A, N9996B, registered to and operated by Adrenalin Air Sports as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 ferry flight, crashed about 1 mile south of the Siler City Municipal Airport, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane incurred substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The flight originated from Deland Municipal-Sydney H Taylor Field, Deland, Florida, the previous day, about 2237. The pilot stated that he had recently purchased the airplane in Deland, Florida, and was ferrying it to Southeast Greensboro Airport, Greensboro, North Carolina. He said that he was en route to the Siler City Municipal Airport, Siler City, North Carolina, for a scheduled fuel stop, and was approaching the airport at an altitude of about 5,500 feet, when the engine ceased operating. He said after the engine ceased developing power, the propeller continued to windmill, and added that it did not run rough, or sputter. It just ceased operating. He said he made several attempts to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. The airplane crashed about 1 mile short of the approach end of runway 04 at the Siler City Municipal Airport. The pilot stated that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems. The pilot said that when he departed from Deland, Florida, the fuel tanks had been topped off, and he had 55 gallons of usable fuel on board the airplane. He stated that as the flight progressed, he monitored his progress, and based upon information obtained from his Global Positioning System receiver, as well as what the previous owner had told him the fuel consumption was for the airplane, he had cancelled his backup fuel stop at Walterboro, South Carolina. He also stated that at some during the course of the flight, FAA Fayetteville Approach Contrail had given him a deviation for weather, but added that "this was not a concern." FAA transcript of communications showed that at 0154, the pilot contacted the Greensboro Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) controller, stating that he needed a vector to Siler City, and that he had an "engine issue." After the controller provided assistance, at 0156:56, the pilot said "I need to get on the ground boss." That was the last radio communications transmission between the ATCT controller and the pilot of N9996B. At 0559:41, during a conversation with Raleigh-Durham AFSS, in an attempt to obtain information about N9996B, the controller stated that N9996B had stopped answering him at 1,700 feet, about 11/2 miles southwest of Siler City. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident scene stated that during his postcrash examination of the airplane and accident scene, there was little or no fuel found. An FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic with Airways Inc., Climax, North Carolina, who assisted the FAA inspector at the scene stated that a total of 0.877 gallons of fuel was found in the airplane. At the time of the accident the pilot had accumulated 268 flight hours and he possessed a private pilot certificate, with an airplane single land rating. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9996B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9996B-2013-03-25), registration cancelled 2013-03-25, S/N 34396, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna CE-182-A - Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34396 - Airframe hours: 3390 - Engines: Teledyne Continental O-520-F/TS 270 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Adrenalin Air Sports - Registered owner: James W. Coakrell - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2002, 5 hours before - Departed: DED, Deland, FL - Destination: 5W8, Siler City, NC - Airport: 5W8, Siler City Municipal, runway 04, 5,000 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 268 total, 217 in this make and model, 231 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: GSO ## 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 20020702017499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020702017499A), Jul 2, 2002: Cessna 182A, Siler City, NC, No damage. (-23) On July 2, 2002, about 0200, eastern daylight time (EDT), a Cessna CE-182-A, N9996B, piloted by james william cockrell, private pilot certificate number… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 2, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55127. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 633 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460265&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Local Agencies: Excerpt of Chatam County Sheriff's Report (item 2, .PDF, 222 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460266&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Local%20Agencies%3A%20Excerpt%20of%20Chatam%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies: FAA Controller's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460267&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20FAA%20Controller%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies: FAA Inspector's Statements (item 4, .PDF, 316 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Transcript of Radio Communications (item 5, .PDF, 717 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460269&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports: Report from FAA Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (item 6, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460270&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%3A%20Report%20from%20FAA%20Licensed%20Airframe%20and%20Powerplant%20Mechanic-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 7, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460271&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Redacted.PDF 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.