KINSTON, NC, USA
N35326
Cessna 172I
Before departure, the fuel tanks were fueled to the point where the fuel supply automatically shut off due to nozzle-to-fuel contact, but the pilot did not confirm visually that the fuel tanks were filled to the filler neck. The first leg of the flight was uneventful, lasting about 1 hour 24 minutes. During the return flight, as the airplane was approaching the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot was able to restart the engine, but it lost power again; this process occurred several times. The pilot made a forced landing in a field about 2-1/2 miles from the airport, and during the landing roll, the airplane encountered soft terrain and nosed over. The pilot stated that at the time of the loss of power, the right fuel tank gauge indicated 1/4 capacity. During both legs of the flight, the mixture control remained in the full rich position. Postaccident examination by an FAA inspector revealed only residual fuel in the fuel tanks. No discrepancies were noted to the fuel indication system. Four gallons of fuel were added to the right fuel tank, which registered just above empty on the fuel gauge. The engine was started, and it operated normally. The performance charts for the airplane were predicated in part on leaning the mixture.
+ On March 22, 1998, about 1752 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172I, N35326, registered to a private individual, nosed over during a forced landing in a wheat field near Kinston, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated about 1 hour 24 minutes earlier from the First Flight Airport, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The accident pilot stated to FAA inspectors that before the first leg of the two leg cross country flight, he added fuel to both fuel tanks but he could not visually look inside each fuel tank due to the low height of the step ladder he used. He also stated that after fueling, each fuel gauge indicated 3/4 capacity. The first leg of the cross country flight was flown at 3,500 feet mean sea level by the other pilot and was uneventful, lasting about 1 hour 24 minutes. After landing and remaining on the ground about 45 minutes, the two exchanged seats for the return flight. The flight departed tracing the route of flight, but flying at 3,000 feet instead. The flight continued then when about 8 miles from the destination airport, the pilot descended to 2,500 feet, where the engine quit. He was able to restart the engine momentarily two times, but the engine quit again and he initiated a forced landing into a field. After touchdown during the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. He further stated that the right fuel gauge indicated 1/4 capacity when the engine quit and during both legs, the mixture control was in the full rich position. The crash site was located about 2.5 nautical miles northeast of the destination airport. A deputy from the Lenoir County Sheriff's Department who arrived at the accident site about 8 minutes after the accident noted there was no evidence of fuel leakage and no smell of fuel at the crash site. The airplane was uprighted 2 days after the accident and examination by FAA personnel revealed that only a residual amount of fuel remained in the fuel tanks. The master switch was turned on and both fuel tank quantity gauges indicated empty. Additionally, according to the lessee of the airplane, after the airplane was recovered, four gallons of fuel were added to the right wing fuel tank; the fuel gauge registered just above empty. The engine was then started and operated to full rated rpm with no discrepancies noted. Then, a total of 39.9 gallons of fuel were pumped into both fuel tanks. The left and right fuel gauges indicated one needle width below the full mark and one needle width above the full mark, respectively. The lessee also stated that he has available, the 2-3 foot stepladder used by the pilot to refuel the airplane, and a 7-8 foot ladder. The fuel nozzle has an automatic shutoff which occurs when fuel contacts the nozzle, but that the depth of the nozzle placed inside the tank during fueling can vary. The fuel nozzle used by the pilot was measured and found to be 6 inches in length. Renter pilot's who purchase fuel when away from the home base are reimbursed for the full cost of the fuel purchased. Review of the airplane's cruise and range performance chart revealed that the figures are based in part on a lean mixture. As stated above, the mixture was not leaned during either of the two legs of the cross country flight.
the pilot's inadequate preflight and improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Soft terrain in the emergency landing area was a related factor.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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