Cessna 175 N6577E

Summary

On 25 May 1998 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 175 registered N6577E was involved in an accident near Pemberton, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 May 1998 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pemberton, New Jersey, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 175

Registration

N6577E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Hinkley → Essington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD98LA063

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations and his improper in-flight decision to continue flying with an inadequate fuel supply.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he added 20 gallons of fuel, prior to his departure, which brought the total fuel onboard between 45 and 48 gallons. He purchased this fuel at a local airport and transported it to his airplane at the lake, since no fueling services were available at Lake Hinkley. The pilot estimated the flight would take him about 2 1/2 hours to complete. About 2 hours after his departure, the engine lost power, and the pilot 'landed the airplane in a corn field, out of fuel.' He stated that he had no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that the fuel gages gradually decreased during the flight; however, he 'would not rely on the fuel gages in a forty year old airplane.' Examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were intact and empty. According to a representative of the engine's manufacturer, the fuel consumption for the model engine was 8 to 10 gallons per hour. The pilot reported 250 hours of total flight experience, 10 hours of which were in the make and model of the accident airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.