Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Minnesota 56144
Friday, August 10, 2007 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a cornfield after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he had departed from a grass airstrip with the fuel selector set to the right fuel tank. He reported that the fuel gauges indicated that most of the fuel on board the airplane was in the right fuel tank, and "very little" fuel in the left fuel tank. He reported that the engine lost power "shortly after takeoff," and he executed a forced landing to a cornfield. The inspection of the airplane revealed that there was about 20 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank. When electric power was applied to the airplane, the right fuel gauge read 1/2 fuel remaining and the left fuel gauge indicated low fuel. The airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) stated that the fuel selector should be set to BOTH during takeoff.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight. The false indication of the fuel remaining in the fuel tanks and the corn crop were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Jasper
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56144
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434306N
Event Location Longitude 0962545W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 Docket Number (internal use) 22437
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52998
NTSB Number CHI07CA264
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18262996
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frank W. Frauenhoff
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dayton
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89403
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Jasper
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LYV
Destination City Laverne
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2007 4:55PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --