CUMMING, GA, USA
N2556U
CESSNA 172D
THE PILOT HAD MADE A FLIGHT FROM HIS HOME AIRPORT TO AUGUSTA AND UPON RETURNING, HAD TO DIVERT DUE TO WEATHER. HE HAD DEPARTED AUGUSTA ABOUT 2315, LANDED AT PDK ABOUT 2400, AND OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FSS ABOUT 0122. THE BRIEFER INDICATED THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IFR AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS 'INSTRUMENT' BUT THE PLANE WAS NOT (NO ATTITUDE INDICATOR). THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DEPARTED PDK FOR MCCOLLUM ABOUT 0245. AT 0306, ZTL RECORDED A CALL FROM THE PILOT THAT HE 'GOT INTO SOME SOUP AND WAS VFR'. HE INIDCATED THAT HE WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED. AFTER SOME VECTORS, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE GROUND. HE WAS TURNED TOWARD PDK AT HIS REQUEST AND THEN RADIOED THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL. HE HAD INDICATED SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR 1 1/2 HOURS EARLIER IN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. TOTAL TIME FROM INITIAL RADIO CONTACT TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS ABOUT 32 MINUTES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND TREES.
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN ADVERSE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT NIGHT WITH AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND INSUFFICIENT FUEL RESERVE FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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