Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin 54727
Saturday, July 19, 1997 20:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he departed for a parachute jump flight with about 25 gallons of fuel aboard the airplane. He said the flight lasted for 30 minutes. When the airplane was on the final approach to the runway, a loss of engine power occurred. The pilot made a forced landing in a corp field adjacent to the airport, and the airplane was damaged. An examination of the airplane after the accident failed to reveal any mechanical anomaly. No fuel was found remaining in the tanks. The flight (owner's) manual indicated usable and unusable fuel for various flight conditions including level flight. The power loss occurred in an approach configuration.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of the fuel supply, and subsequent fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2045
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHIPPEWA FALLS
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54727
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID KEA
Elevation of weather observation facility 907
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 771
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2143
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5820B
NTSB Number CHI97LA215
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 33820
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 174
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT W. STUMM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 652 TOWER RD
Aircraft Owner City CADOTT
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54729
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4WI0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 --