NACHES, WA, USA
N35436
Cessna 172I
The pilot reported that during a preflight on 7/11/97, she checked the aircraft's fuel quantity using a dip stick, but was interrupted and had to begin again. She reported the left tank was '1 inch down,' and right tank was 'full.' The aircraft was operated on the ground for 10 to 15 minutes at 1,000 RPM before taking off from the Yakima Airport, which was logged at 0832. At 0949, Yakima Tower received a radio transmission from the aircraft indicating a power loss. Subsequently, the pilot executed a forced landing onto soft terrain. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft nosed over. An FAA onsite examination revealed no evidence of fuel in the left tank and about one cup in the right tank. No evidence of fuel spillage was noted at the site, and no evidence of any fuel leakage from the fuel system was found. The pilot stated that on the evening before the flight, she contacted the fixed base operator (FBO) to have the aircraft serviced with fuel. FAA examination of FBO documentation revealed no record of the aircraft having been refueled since June 14th. The aircraft had been flown approximately 2.5 hours on the day before the accident. The aircraft's total usable fuel capacity was 38 gallons. Estimated fuel consumption of the aircraft was 6.0 to 9.7 gallons/hour.
On July 11, 1997, approximately 0949 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N35436, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing and nose over following a loss of power and forced landing approximately 5 nautical miles east northeast of Naches, Washington. The pilot and her two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Yakima, Washington, departing approximately 0832. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Adminstration's (FAA) Flight Standards District Office in Spokane, Washington, interviewed the pilot on the afternoon of July 11, 1997. The pilot reported that she and her two passengers departed Yakima on a local scenic flight and that while returning to Yakima in cruise approximately 2,500 feet the engine quit. She reported cycling the fuel selector, pumped the throttle which resulted in a momentary return to power, and then checked the magnetos. Unable to restart the engine she executed a forced landing (refer to ATTACHMENT S-I). The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (dated July 19, 1997) that she "contacted Noland (the fixed base operator (FBO) at the Yakima airport) to refuel at 7PM on 07/10/97." The following morning she arrived at the FBO to preflight her aircraft. She reported that she "checked (the) fuel tank on (the) pilot side with (a) dip stick and visual, 1" down from full. (The) chain was off the cap, no links noted missing." At this point, her passengers having just arrived, the inspection was interrupted in order to move the aircraft to a new location on the ramp. The pilot reported that "Since the fuel inspection was interrupted, I started over. Tank on (the) co-pilot side was full. Tank on (the) pilot side nearly full, 1" down The pilot reported completing the preflight, boarding her passengers and departing Yakima "after 10-15 minutes (of) ground time at 1,000 RPM." The Yakima air traffic control tower logged the aircraft's takeoff time as 0832 local. Additionally, they logged the radio transmission of the power loss from the pilot as 0949 local. The pilot reported that while "inbound for landing a(t) YKM (Yakima) and 12-14 miles north of the airport, lost all power from a cruising speed of 110 mph at 75% throttle and 2,300 RPM. Pushed (the) throttle full in, momentary return of power, then no power." The pilot then initiated a number of trouble shooting procedures without success and then executed a forced landing. She also reported that the crash site soil was soft. An FAA inspector, temporarily stationed at the Yakima airport at the time of the mishap, immediately proceeded to the accident site and conducted an initial examination of the aircraft. He reported that "While I was performing the photography of the site I did not smell any fuel fumes. There was no evidence of visible fuel stains on the bottom of the aircraft." (refer to ATTACHMENT S-II) The FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot proceeded to the accident site on July 11, 1997, and reported the following observations: "The aircraft was resting on its top and the first signs of impact were 14 paces from the nose. The aircraft had contacted the ground in a wings level position and somewhat nose down as all three landing gear marks were evident." (refer to photograph 1) "The nose gear was broken off at the first point of contact, the nose dug into the dirt and the aircraft nosed over and came to a stop in the inverted position with no fire." (refer to ATTACHMENT S-III) The FAA inspector subsequently left the site with the aircraft under guard and returned with recovery personnel later in the day, reporting the following: "When the aircraft was righted I immediately checked the fuel tanks - no fuel in the left hand tank and maybe a cup in the right hand tank - I also checked the ground under where the fuel tanks rested and no fuel residue or stain. As a note, it was reported that one of the Selah Fireman on the scene had commented of no fuel smell, the law enforcement stated they had smelled no fuel, and one of the aircraft occupants stated that he smelled no fuel when he exited the aircraft. (refer to ATTACHMENT S-III) The aircraft was then transported to the Yakima airport where the FAA inspector conducted additional examinations the following day. Subsequently, the inspector reported "there were no signs of fuel leakage in the fuselage at any point where there was fuel plumbing or no signs of fuel leakage around the fuel caps." (refer to ATTACHMENT S-III) The FAA Inspector subsequently contacted the pilot on July 12, 1997, to discuss the accident. He reported that "she stated that she checked the fuel by touching (the) fuel in one tank with a finger and dipping the tanks with a wooden dowel." He also reported that she "stated that she had flown the day before the accident for about 2.5 hrs (sic)(and) had requested fuel from the FBO." A review of the FBO fueling records by the inspector showed "no fueling of her aircraft since the 14th of June 1997." (refer to ATTACHMENT S-III) The Cessna 172I, manufactured in 1968, was equipped with two 21 gallon fuel tanks, each with a total capacity of 19 gallons usable fuel. The fuel consumption rate for this make and model with the Lycoming O-320-E2D engine installed ranges from a minimum of 6.0 to a maximum of 9.7 gallons per hour dependent upon engine RPM setting and altitude (refer to CHART I).
inadequate preflight by the pilot, and subsequent fuel exhaustion, which led to a forced landing and subsequent nose over of the aircraft. Related factors were: the FBO did not refuel the aircraft as requested, and soft terrain was encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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