- Date
- February 27, 2008, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Quincy, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N49AFCessna 177B
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080227836409A
- Case key
- 67587
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 inadequate in-flight decision by failing to refuel, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Findings · 4
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 stated that he was attempting a long cross-country flight, with a planned fuel stop at an airport about halfway to his intended destination. While en route to the planned fuel stop, the airplane consumed more fuel than planned due to greater than forecasted headwinds. The pilot also elected to fly at a lower than planned altitude, in order to avoid turbulence. Although the flight was consuming more fuel than planned, the pilot believed that an adequate amount of fuel remained to fly to the planned fuel stop and beyond. After landing uneventfully for the planned fuel stop, the pilot was informed that the airport fixed base operator had run out of fuel. The pilot then elected to depart, and refuel the airplane at an airport about 10 miles away. While on final approach to that airport, the engine lost all power, and the pilot performed a forced landing into trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed that approximately 3.5 total gallons of aviation fuel was recovered from the airplane's four fuel tanks. The examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Cessna 177B stated that he was attempting a long cross-country flight, with a planned fuel stop at an airport about halfway to his intended destination. While enroute to the planned fuel stop, the airplane consumed more fuel than planned due to greater than forecast headwinds. The pilot also elected to fly at a lower than planned altitude, in order to avoid turbulence. Although the flight was consuming more fuel than planned, the pilot believed that an adequate amount of fuel remained to fly to the planned fuel stop and beyond. After landing uneventfully for the planned fuel stop, the pilot was informed that the airport fixed base operator had run out of fuel. The pilot then elected to depart, and refuel the airplane at an airport about 10 miles away. While on final approach to that airport, the engine lost all power, and the pilot performed a forced landing into trees. The pilot sustained serious injuries, the two passengers sustained minor injuries, and the airplane's left wing separated. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that approximately 3.5 total gallons of aviation fuel was recovered from the airplane's four fuel tanks. The inspector also examined the engine, and did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49AF
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17701770
- Airframe hours
- 3,087
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William W Hix
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2007 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 68J · Tallahassee, FL
- Destination
- 2J9 · Quincy, FL
- Airport
- 2J9 · Quincy Municipal Airport, runway 32, 2,964 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,360 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 1,260 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH, 15 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.