Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delavan, Wisconsin 53115
Tuesady, August 8, 1995 11:56 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying low overhead; the engine was cutting out and then quit altogether. The airplane impacted the ground in a corn field 1 hour and 26 minutes after takeoff. There was no evidence of fuel at the accident site and no signs of fuel leakage or fuel venting. The airplane impacted the ground in a 30 degree nose down pitch attitude and in a 30 degree right roll. The right fuel tank gauge indicated about 1/8 tank of fuel. The right fuel tank fuel transmitter float was caught up on the rib inside the fuel tank. An examination of the fuel level float revealed that the wire which extended past the fuel level float had not been trimmed as required and was able to contact the wing station rib #68. The fuel level transmitter was an authorized replacement part and had not been installed on the aircraft as new equipment. The engine was removed from the airplane for a test cell run, and operated normally and within performance specifications. A passenger had observed the pilot checking both fuel tanks, and the pilot indicated that there was 3-1/2 hours of fuel on board the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to assure an adequate amount of fuel was available for the flight. A factor was the improperly installed fuel level transmitter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1156
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DELAVAN
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53115
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 255
Weather Observation Facility ID JVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 4
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9055J
NTSB Number CHI95LA263
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 1148
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 2628
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOUIS J GINGER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 230 N BRANCH RD
Aircraft Owner City GLENVIEW
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60025
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWK
Departure City WHEELING
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code C59
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --