Accident Overview
On December 21, 2016, at about 1020 eastern standard time, a Cessna 175C airplane, registration N8381T, impacted a fence post and terrain during a forced landing near Holmes County Airport (10G) in Millersburg, Ohio. The pilot sustained a minor injury, and the passenger was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged.
Flight Details
The airplane was registered to and operated by private individuals under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from Davis Airport (W50) in Laytonsville, Maryland, about 0700 and was destined for 10G.
Pilot Actions and Fuel Management
The pilot reported conducting a thorough preflight inspection before takeoff from W50, and fuel samples drained from the airplane fuel system contained no contamination. After takeoff, the pilot selected the left fuel tank for the cruise portion of the flight. About 5 miles from 10G, he completed the before landing checklist but failed to position the fuel selector to the "both" position at that time, which set the stage for fuel exhaustion.
Loss of Engine Power and Forced Landing
On final approach, about 1/3 of a mile from the runway at approximately 1,600 ft mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot checked the fuel selector, found it still set to the left tank, and changed it to the right tank. He subsequently executed a forced landing to an open area at the base of a hill. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunctions or failures preceded the accident.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane came to rest adjacent to a wire mesh fence. The nose landing gear separated, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the engine mount and firewall were deformed during the forced landing. The right wing was partially separated from the fuselage at the aft spar attachment and exhibited a leading edge dent consistent with impact to a fence post. The left wing was deformed upward near the wing tip consistent with ground contact due to the collapsed landing gear.
Fuel Selector Procedure
The airplane owner's manual specified that the fuel selector should be set to the "both on" position before landing.