Accident Overview
An aircraft crashed in a pasture after experiencing fuel exhaustion during an approach to Johnson County Industrial Airport. The aircraft had originally been headed to Nevada, Missouri, but executed a missed approach there. En route to a suggested alternate, Butler Airport, weather conditions deteriorated, leading the pilot to select Johnson County as the viable alternate.
Sequence of Events
During the approach to Johnson County, the aircraft ran out of fuel. After descending out of the clouds, the aircraft struck the ground with its right wing and nose low in a pasture. It then spun around and slid backwards into a fence.
Pilot Actions and Conditions
The pilot had filed an IFR flight plan and received a weather briefing that reported ceilings and visibilities at or below instrument approach minimums in the vicinity of the intended destination. Additionally, the briefing included forecasts and reports of airframe icing along the flight route. After the accident, the pilot stated that the passenger was eager to reach Nevada for an appointment on April 9, 1983.
Fuel Considerations
Using fuel consumption figures calculated from the last flight, the aircraft's fuel range was about 4 hours. On the accident flight, the fuel was exhausted after 4 hours and 15 minutes.