Cessna 177 N30227

Summary

On 17 February 2013 at about 19:20 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N30227 was involved in an accident near Elcho, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and one 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

17 February 2013 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Elcho, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

45.4242, -89.1789

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N30227

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pulaski → Rhinelander

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13CA175

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight fuel management, which led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the engine experienced a total loss of power while in cruise flight. He attempted to restart the engine without success; therefore, he executed a forced landing on a snow-covered field. Upon landing, the airplane nosed over and then came to rest on its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot said that he decided not to refuel before the flight because his fuel calculations showed that he should have had at least 30 minutes of fuel reserve upon arrival at the destination airport; however, he did not use a calibrated instrument in determining the preflight fuel quantity. He further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had refueled before the flight. He reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.