# NTSB SEA97LA017: Cessna 182Q, N5117N, Pocatello, ID, October 18, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 17, 1996, 18:20 local (Oct 18, 1996, 00:20 UTC) - Place: Pocatello, ID - Coordinates: 42.899513, -112.389579 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8995&lon=-112.3896&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 21, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42531 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA97LA017 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42531/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA017 ## Probable cause inadequate preflight by the pilot, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, due to an inadequate supply of fuel. Soft terrain at the emergency landing site was a related factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose over, emergency landing - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis The aircraft lost engine power while inbound for landing after a cross-country flight, and it nosed over during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot had flown several legs before the accident flight, and did not refuel at any en route stops. Both wing tanks were found empty, and no fuel was found in the gascolator. The pilot provided a statement including departure and arrival times and fuel on board for each of four legs. He stated that he used a calibrated dipstick to check fuel before his last departure on the 42-mile return flight. He said that the fuel remaining at that time was 19 gallons. Unusable fuel was 4 gallons. An inquiry to a Civil Air Patrol safety officer revealed that the dipstick was homemade; its accuracy was not determined. No mechanical discrepancy was found with the aircraft. There was evidence of inadequate consideration by the pilot concerning the accuracy of the dipstick calibration. Also, there was evidence that the aircraft may not have been in a level attitude when the dipstick readings were made. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 1996, approximately 1820 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N5117N, registered to the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), experienced a loss of engine power while inbound to the airport at Pocatello, Idaho. The airplane flipped over in a forced landing attempt in a field 5 miles northeast of Pocatello and was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The 14 CFR 91 business flight had departed Idaho Falls, Idaho, on a visual flight rules flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions existed at Pocatello at the time of the accident. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident reported that the pilot had flown several legs prior to the accident flight and had not refueled the aircraft during any of the en route stops. He reported that in an examination of the aircraft wreckage, both wing tanks were found empty and no fuel was found in the gascolator. The pilot provided a comprehensive statement including departure and arrival times, and fuel remaining on board the aircraft for each of four legs (Pocatello to Idaho Falls; Idaho Falls to Nampa, Idaho; Nampa to Idaho Falls; and Idaho Falls to Pocatello.) The pilot stated that he used a calibrated dipstick to check the fuel prior to departure from Pocatello (71 gallons at departure), at Nampa (39 gallons remaining), and at Idaho Falls (19 gallons) on the return flight. The accident aircraft had a fuel capacity of 92 gallons, with 88 gallons usable. From the pilot's records, total fuel consumption for the first two legs (Pocatello-Idaho Falls-Nampa) was 32 gallons. Usable fuel on board at departure from Nampa was 35 gallons (39 gallons, as reported by the pilot, minus 4 gallons unusable) for the return flight with the same routing. The elapsed time for the return leg from Nampa to Idaho Falls was 93 minutes, as opposed to the outbound time of 111 minutes, due to higher ground speed. The pilot was observed by line personnel when he checked his remaining fuel supply at Idaho Falls prior to the 42-mile return flight to Pocatello. The pilot stated that he used a calibrated dipstick to check the fuel prior to his last departure on the return flight. The pilot stated that the fuel remaining at that time was 19 gallons (7 gallons in the left tank and 12 gallons in the right tank.) An inquiry to a safety officer of the Idaho Wing of the CAP, which operated the aircraft, revealed that the dipstick used by the pilot (which was normally kept in the aircraft) was homemade and not commercially produced. The calibration accuracy of the homemade dipstick was not determined or reported. No mechanical discrepancies were found during the investigation. No consideration was made by the pilot concerning the accuracy of the dipstick calibration and the effects upon the indicated fuel quantity of static pitch attitude of the aircraft on the ramp. According to aircraft maintenance records, the accident aircraft had a zero-time engine installed on October 11, 1996 (six days before the accident) and, according to the records and the pilot's statement, was operating on "break-in" or mineral oil at the time of the accident. Information supplied by the CAP indicated that this trip was the first operation of the accident aircraft since the engine installation, which coincided with an annual inspection of the aircraft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5117N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5117N-2018-01-23), registration cancelled 2018-01-23, S/N 18267528, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182Q - Registry model: [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (registry code 2072732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 67528 - Airframe hours: 2808 - Engines: Continental O-470-V17B 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 11, 1996, 5 hours before - Departed: IDA, IDAHO FALLS, ID - Destination: PIH - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 582 total, 136 in this make and model, 469 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 293° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PIH ## 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 19961017033009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961017033009A), Oct 17, 1996: Cessna 182Q, Pocatello, ID, Substantial damage. Lost power on approach to airport. Nosed over landing. Fuel tanks were empty. New engine on break in used more fuel 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.