Flight and Accident
The flight departed New Smyrna, Florida, on the day of the accident at 0845 EDT. At 1131 EDT, a witness observed the airplane flying low over trees and reported that the pilot was attempting to restart the engine. The airplane subsequently collided with the top of a large tree and came to rest upside down on the ground. The witness called 911, and the Hall County Sheriff's Department and Fire Department responded. Fire department personnel stated they did not smell or see any fuel around the crash site.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA Inspector examined the airplane and found that the left and right main fuel tanks were not breached but did not contain any usable fuel. After the aircraft was recovered from the crash site, the engine was operated on the airplane without any evidence of pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction. Examination of the airplane's fuel system, structure, and flight controls showed no anomalies.
Fuel System Analysis
Review of the Cessna 182 Owner's Manual indicates that the left and right main fuel tanks hold 32.5 gallons of fuel each, of which 27.5 gallons are useable in all flight conditions. An additional 3.5 gallons of fuel are useable from each tank in level flight only. According to the Cruise and Range Performance Chart in the Cessna 182B Owner's Manual, the aircraft should have used between 23.8 gallons (at maximum range setting) and 31.9 gallons (at the highest power setting listed) of fuel during the flight, if flown at 5,000 feet MSL. The approved FAA operator's manual for the O-470L engine (dated July 1981) states that at 75% brake horsepower, the engine burns 15.4 gallons per hour at sea level under standard conditions. Available records show the airplane was last fueled on April 17, 2006. It could not be determined if the airplane was flown after that refueling and prior to the accident flight. The amount of fuel onboard at departure could not be determined.