Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee 38464
Wednesday, June 19, 2002 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated she refueled the airplane twice before departing on the VFR flight. She completed a preflight inspection of the airplane after the first refueling. She requested an additional 5 gallons of fuel be added to the right main fuel tank. She did not conduct another preflight inspection to ensure the fuel had been added or check the fuel cap before she departed. The pilot reported that she did not recheck the fuel caps after the second refueling. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. A forced landing was made to a field. The airplane collided with plowed furrows on landing flare/touchdown, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a pre crash mechanical malfunction. The left and right main fuel tanks were not ruptured and no fuel was present in either fuel tank. Fuel streaking was present on the top of the right wing and the right main fuel cap was not secured.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to secure the fuel cap after refueling that resulted in fuel siphoning from the right main fuel tank and the subsequent fuel supply exhaustion, and the total loss of engine power. The airplane was damaged during the forced landing to a field.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Lawrenceburg
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38464
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350736N
Event Location Longitude 0872116W
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1437 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID 2M2
Elevation of weather observation facility 936
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) 2559
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12570
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 19 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1609
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2003 4:27PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville FSDO-15

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N759TY
NTSB Number ATL02LA127
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18266257
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 2763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Earline Arnold
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3 Zaragosa Views
Aircraft Owner City Monterey
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93940
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 HOT
Departure City Hot Springs
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1154
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FYM
Destination City Fayetteville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 7 2002 3:07PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --