MIA97LA096

The flight departed with full fuel tanks and about 30 minutes then 1 hour into the flight, the pilot repositioned the fuel selector. About 1 hour 50 minutes into the flight the engine sputtered. The pilot repositioned the fuel selector and engine power was restored then the pilot attempted to divert to a nearby airport. While descending the engine quit. After descending below the base of the clouds the pilot located a road and attempted a forced landing but the right wing collided with a fence. The airplane then impacted the road and came to rest upright. Post crash examination of the airplane revealed no fuel remaining in the fuel tanks with both fuel caps in place. Fuel leakage was not noted at the scene. Each fuel tank bladder was replaced within the preceding 6 years and the pilot replaced only the left fuel cap. Examination of the right fuel cap revealed that the seal was cracked. No abnormal wrinkles were noted in the fuel bladder cells and each bladder was secured by the top hangers.

On March 3, 1997, about 1941 central standard time, a Cessna 182E, N3392Y, registered to a private individual, crashed during a forced landing near the Redstone AAF, near Huntsville, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot sustained serious injuries. The three passengers were not injured. The flight originated about 1739 from the Enterprise Municipal Airport, Enterprise, Alabama.

Before departure both fuel tanks were filled which was verified by the pilot. The pilot stated that while en route about 30 minutes and also 1 hour after takeoff, he repositioned the fuel selector. About 1 hour 50 minutes into the flight, the engine started sputtering. He then repositioned the fuel selector and while in contact with the Hunstville Approach Control, the pilot first requested the weather conditions at the Hunstville airport then requested to fly to another airport in the Hunstville area. The controller vectored the flight toward the Hunstville North Airport and while in IMC conditions and descending through 3,000 feet, the engine stopped. He then advised the controller of the loss of engine power and the controller advised the pilot that the Redstone AAF was about 6 1/2 miles east of his position. The flight descended below the base of the clouds and after recognizing that he would be unable to land there, he attempted a forced landing on a road. While descending the right wing collided with a fence separating the wing outboard of the fuel tank. The airplane then collided with the road and came to rest upright. According to an officer from the Hunstville Police Department, there was no fuel spill on the road and both fuel tanks appeared to be empty. Both fuel caps were in place when he arrived on scene. The pilot further stated that at the time of the loss of engine power the left and right fuel gauges indicated 3/5 and 1/2 full respectively and he had previously replaced the left fuel cap but did not replace the right cap.

According to an A & P who was on scene about 1 hour after the accident and helped recover the airplane, there was no evidence of fuel leakage on the road and only drops of fuel were drained from the right wing fuel tank. The left wing fuel tank which was intact was empty.

Postaccident examination of the airplane by a representative of the airframe manufacturer revealed that the right fuel cap sealing gasket was cracked. No abnormal wrinkles of each fuel bladder were felt and each bladder was secured to the top hangers. The representative also stated that there was no evidence of abnormal fuel leaks at any point on the airframe.

Review of the aircraft logbook revealed that in August 1991, and June 1992, the left and right fuel tank bladder cells were respectively replaced.