Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77095
Sunday, August 15, 1993 21:53 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FOLLOWING A COMPLETE POWER LOSS, THE PILOT EXECUTED A NIGHT FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THE 4:30 CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE HAD 6:33 ENDURANCE FOR THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER 4:18. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE WAS FOUND AT THE SITE AND THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKAGE STAINS FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE. A SUBSEQUENT TEST RUN WITH THE CARBURETOR ON AN OVERHAULED ENGINE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL METERING WAS WITHIN LIMITS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT PERFORM EN ROUTE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS DUE TO THE MARGIN OF FUEL HE HAD ONBOARD AT TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MONITOR AND RECALCULATE FUEL CONSUMPTION EN ROUTE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH THE FORCED LANDING COULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2153
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77095
Event Date Year 1993
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 89
Weather Observation Facility ID IAH
Elevation of weather observation facility 70
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1363
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 15 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34689
NTSB Number FTW93LA240
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177B
Aircraft Series Identifier 177B
Aircraft Serial Number 17701941
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3187
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEST HOUSTON AERO CLUB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 19754
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77224
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 PNC
Departure City PONCA CITY
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1735
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 --