Primary finding
Probable cause
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the unsuitable terrain at the pilot's disposal for the forced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot departed sky lake airport, waller, texas, earlier in the day, and flew to houston, lakeside airport to pick up some fuel additive. He departed lakeside airport on a return flight to waller, texas, and had leveled off at 1,600 feet msl when the engine lost power. During the forced landing to a field, he attempted several times to restart the engine without success. The aircraft touched down in a field, struck a roadway median, and came to rest 237 feet from the initial touch down point. There was no evidence of usable fuel in either fuel tank, and the fuel strainer contained less than a fourth of a cup of fuel. The fire wall was buckled, the nose landing gear was bent aft, and there was no evidence of fuel leaks. The pilot stated in the pilot/operator report that he departed sky lake airport with at least 21 gallons of fuel, and he could not 'predict inflight loss of fuel.'
Source record
Factual narrative
On December 4, 1994, at 1615 central standard time, a Cessna 177, N29400, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Katy, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. The pilot reported the following information to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. He departed Sky Lake Airport, Waller, Texas, earlier in the day, and flew to Houston, Lakeside Airport to pick up some fuel additive. He departed Lakeside Airport on a return flight to Waller, Texas, and had leveled off at 1,600 feet MSL when the engine lost power. During the forced landing to a field, he attempted several times to restart the engine without success. The pilot stated in the pilot/operator report that he departed Sky Lake Airport with at least 21 gallons of fuel, and he could not "predict inflight loss of fuel." Examination of the accident site by the FAA inspector, determined the aircraft touched down in a field, struck a roadway median, and came to rest 237 feet from the initial touch down point. The FAA inspector further reported there was no evidence of usable fuel in either fuel tank, and the fuel strainer contained less than a forth of a cup of fuel. The fire wall was buckled, the nose landing gear was bent aft, and there was no evidence of fuel leaks. -