Incident Overview
On May 18, 2013, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182C airplane, registration N9075T, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Fremont Municipal Airport (KFFX) in Fremont, Michigan. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by Premier Skydiving under Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Flight Details
The accident flight was a skydiving mission that departed KFFX at 1330 with the purpose of releasing four skydivers at 10,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot had flown a similar flight earlier that day without anomalies. Before the accident flight, the pilot used a calibrated dipstick to measure fuel: the left tank contained 10 gallons, the right tank 5 gallons. He noted that a typical skydiving flight to 10,500 feet required 8 gallons and took 20-25 minutes.
The climb to altitude was uneventful. However, the accident flight required two passes over the landing zone for skydiver exits, adding 2-5 minutes. After releasing the final skydivers on the second pass, the pilot initiated a descent with 15 inches of manifold pressure at 2,200 rpm, resulting in a 1,000-1,500 feet per minute descent at 150 mph. After entering the traffic pattern for runway 9 (3,502 by 75 feet, asphalt), he applied carburetor heat about midfield on the downwind leg. Engine operation was normal initially, but a loss of engine power occurred before the turn to base leg.
Fuel Management
According to the Cessna 182C type certificate data sheet and pilot operating handbook, total fuel capacity is 65 gallons, evenly distributed between two wing tanks, with 55 gallons usable and 10 gallons unusable in all flight attitudes. An additional 3.5 usable gallons per wing tank is available in level flight. Post-accident examination revealed the fuel selector valve was positioned to draw from both tanks. The FAA inspector recovered 2.5 gallons from the left tank and 1.0 gallon from the right tank. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were identified.
Forced Landing and Aftermath
While in the traffic pattern, the pilot saw a helicopter approaching from the west at a similar altitude. He delayed his turn to base leg to avoid conflict and attempted to radio the helicopter that he needed to land immediately, but a glide to the runway was not possible due to insufficient altitude. He elected to land in an agricultural field adjacent to the airport. After touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over, causing substantial damage to the engine firewall and wings. The airplane remained upside down for two days before recovery.
Pilot Statements
The pilot declined an interview without legal representation. The airport manager, a first responder, reported that the pilot told him he had run out of fuel while maneuvering to land. Later, the pilot stated to the NTSB investigator that the airplane "ran out of fuel" resulting in the loss of engine power, and that there were no mechanical issues before the event.