Cessna 177B N16081

Summary

On 11 June 1995 at about 01:25 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N16081, operated by Steve Cline, was involved in an accident near Lebec, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 1995 at 01:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Lebec, California, United States

Coordinates

34.8609, -118.8691

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N16081

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Steve Cline

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Avalon → Bakersfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA206

2 people had minor injuries.

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane's fuel sysytem and his failure to maintain an adequate supply of fuel to complete the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL POWER LOSS WHILE AT 8,500 FT MSL. HE INITIATED A GLIDE TOWARD AN AIRPORT, BUT LANDED WITH NO FLAPS IN A ROUGH FIELD ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. BEFORE DEPARTURE HE MADE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY AND OBSERVED THE FUEL LEVEL TO BE LEVEL WITH SOME DOTTED MARKINGS. HE THOUGHT THE DOTS REPRESENTED FULL FUEL. THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL STATES THE FUEL CAPACITY TO THE 'LINE OF HOLES' INSIDE THE FILLER NECK IS 22 GALLONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH 50-GALLON STANDARD RANGE TANKS, WITH 49 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. THE OPERATOR SAID THAT NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN EITHER TANK WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 1.6 HOURS BEFORE BEING DISPATCHED TO THE PILOT. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE PILOT DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD WITH 33 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. THE HOBBS METER SHOWED THE PILOT HAD FLOWN 2.9 HOURS. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT BURNED BETWEEN 10 AND 12 GPH. NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT AVALON AIRPORT ON CATALINA ISLAND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.