Cessna 177 N2824X

Summary

On 31 October 1982 at about 22:30 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N2824X, operated by Douglas Freeman, was involved in an accident near Hardin, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 October 1982 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hardin, Montana, United States

Coordinates

45.6992, -107.6909

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N2824X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Douglas Freeman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hardin → Hardin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN83FTA02

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FULLY SERVICED WITH FUEL (48 GAL USABLE SUPPLY) AND HAD BEEN FLOWN 1.8 HRS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT HAD RELIED ON HIS FUEL LOG AND FUEL GAUGES, AND DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY DURING THE PREFLIGHT. WHILE ON A GRADUAL DESCENT TOWARD THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT RESTART. A CRASH LANDING WAS MADE IN PLOWED FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE AIRPORT. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AND LINES. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN .6 HRS ON THIS FLIGHT OR 2.4 HRS SINCE IT WAS REFUELED. AT 75% POWER, ABOUT 24 GAL WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSUMED. RED FUEL STAINS WERE FOUND ON THE INLET FUEL LINE AND ON THE FIRE WALL BELOW THE LINE. WITH THE COWLING ON, THE PILOT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBSERVE THE STAINS. THE FUEL LINE (PN S1236-8-0280) WAS REMOVED AND PRESSURE CHECKED AT 7 PSI. DURING THE CHECK, A SMALL STREAM OF FUEL ABOUT 1/16 INCH IN DIAMETER WAS NOTED. ALSO, FUEL THEFTS HAD BEEN REPORTED AT THE AIRPORT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.