ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 294544
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| Date: | Sunday 5 September 2004 |
| Time: | 16:28 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172E |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N5788T |
| MSN: | 17251688 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5530 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental O-300 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Port Angeles, Washington -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Silverdale, WA (S42) |
| Port Angeles-Fairchild International Airport, WA (CLM/KCLM) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he finger inspected both fuel tanks prior to takeoff. The pilot-rated observer noticed that while taxiing for takeoff the left fuel gauge read somewhere near 1/2, while the right gauge read near full. Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes into the flight the pilot and pilot-rated observer became concerned with the aircraft's fuel state and elected to proceed to a nearby airport to refuel. Approximately 15 minutes later the right fuel tank ran dry and the engine quit. After switching to the left tank the pilot was successful in restarting the engine. Approximately 5 minutes later the left fuel tank ran dry and the engine quit a second time, prompting the pilot to make a landing in a hay field about 5 miles west of the destination airport. The pilot landed long, and in an attempt to avoid a fence veered 90 degrees to the left before impacting a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The airplane had accumulated 4.3 hours of flying time since its most recent refueling with both tanks being filled to capacity. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical problems with the airplane. Post-accident inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that no fuel was present in either the right or left fuel tanks.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate inflight decision by failing to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion and the loss of power. Factors contributing to the accident included the fence and the ditch.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB SEA04LA182
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Oct-2022 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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