No fatalities

17 Feb 2013: CESSNA 177 — Elcho, WI

Elcho, WI, United States

On 17 Feb 2013, a CESSNA 177 was involved in an aviation accident near Elcho, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight fuel management, which led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot experienced total engine power loss in cruise, executed a forced landing in a snow-covered field, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer.

Accident Details

During cruise flight, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. A forced landing was executed to a snow-covered field. Upon touchdown, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.

Pilot Statement

In a written statement, the pilot indicated that he had decided against adding additional fuel prior to the flight because his fuel calculations showed he should have at least 30 minutes of fuel reserve upon arrival at the destination airport. However, he noted that he did not use a calibrated instrument to determine the preflight fuel quantity. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by adding additional fuel prior to the flight. He listed no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane in his written report.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage, including damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer.

Contributing factors

Fluid managementPilot