# NTSB SEA02LA113: Cessna 177, N29441, Mt. Vernon, WA, June 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 2002, 17:10 local (Jun 26, 2002, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Mt. Vernon, WA - Coordinates: 48.462776, -122.46389 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4628&lon=-122.4639&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Seattle FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55064 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA02LA113 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55064/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55064 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA02LA113 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to accurately determine the amount of fuel onboard. Factors included trees, and a portable restroom. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - other (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis Because he knew his aircraft was very low on fuel, the pilot considered refueling before departing Oak Harbor Airport. However, since there was no fuel available at the airport itself, he dipped the aircraft's fuel tanks with a fuel quantity measuring device, and estimated the remaining fuel to be around four to five gallons. Based on that indicated quantity, he elected to depart for Skagit Regional Airport. As the aircraft approached the airport on an extended base leg at approximately 1,400 feet above the terrain, the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot therefore activated the electric fuel pump, and the engine restarted and produced power for about another 30 seconds before losing power again. Because there were trees between the aircraft and the runway, the pilot decided to attempt a forced landing on a road in a nearby berry field. The touchdown was uneventful, however, the aircraft's wing collided with a portable outhouse while on the landing roll. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft determined that except for a very small amount of residual fuel, the aircraft's fuel tanks had been run dry. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 2002, approximately 1710 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177, N29441, collided with a portable restroom during the landing roll, one mile southwest of Skagit Regional Airport, Mt. Vernon, Washington. The aircraft was owned and operated by a private pilot, who was the sole occupant. The pilot was not injured, however, the aircraft received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, departed Oak Harbor Airport, Oak Harbor, Washington, approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident, and was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, because he knew his aircraft was very low on fuel, he considered refueling before departing Oak Harbor Airport. However, since there was no fuel available at the airport itself, the pilot decided to attempt a measurement of the fuel quantity by using a dip-tube measuring device. After making the measurement, he estimated the remaining fuel to be around four to five gallons. Based upon that estimate, he elected to depart on the 10 minute flight to Skagit Regional. As the aircraft approached the airport on an extended base leg at approximately 1,400 feet above the terrain, the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot therefore activated the electric fuel pump, and the engine restarted and produced power for about another 30 seconds before losing power again. Because there were trees between the aircraft and the runway, the pilot decided to attempt a forced landing on a dirt road in a nearby berry field. The touchdown was uneventful, however, the aircraft's wing collided with a portable outhouse while on the landing roll. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that, except for a very small residual amount of fuel, the aircraft's fuel tanks had been run dry. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N29441](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29441), registered now, S/N 17700890, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 177 - Registry model: [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (registry code 2073704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17700890 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James M. Hayward - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 5, 2001, 79 hours before - Departed: 76S, Oak Harbor, WA - Destination: 75S, Skagit Regional, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review September 4, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 738 total, 300 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F ## 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 20020625015659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020625015659A), Jun 25, 2002: Cessna 177, Burlington, WA, No damage. (-23) After suffering fuel exhaustion, the pilot-in-command of N29441 landed the aircraft in a field near the destination airport of bvs. During rollout, the… ## Other investigations on N29441 (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK73FVG03](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK73FVG03), Jul 13, 1972: Cessna 177 (N29441), Shngle Spgs, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55064. 455 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 455 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447056&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.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.