NTSB Identification: ERA12LA470
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Farmingdale, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/11/2012
Aircraft: CESSNA 182A, registration: N2166G
Injuries: 1 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot was returning to the airport after dropping off parachutists at 9,000 feet. He said that the flight lasted about 30 minutes, and as he turned onto final approach in the traffic pattern, he pulled the throttle back, and the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field, and the airplane struck some power poles lying on the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. Only residual fuel was recovered from the wing tanks, and there was no fuel in the line from the tanks to the engine. The pilot stated that he should have monitored his fuel gauges more closely.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
On July 21, 2012, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N2166G, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and collision with terrain near Monmouth Executive Airport (BLM), Farmingdale, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot had minor injuries. The airplane was registered to a corporation and was operated by Skydive Jersey Shore under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at BLM about 1530.
The pilot reported that he was returning to the airport after dropping parachutists at 9,000 feet. While approaching the airport, about 30 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power and stopped running. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field and the airplane collided with some poles lying on the ground and the nose gear collapsed.
Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The inspectors confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage. There was no evidence of external engine damage. The oil quantity was checked and found to be in the normal range. Little or no fuel was found in the left wing tank. The right wing tank quantity could not be determined due to the position of the right wing. The wreckage was recovered to a local maintenance facility where a subsequent examination of the airframe and engine was performed.
A yardstick was inserted into the right wing tank and the fuel level registered less than 0.75 inches. The total fuel recovered from the left wing tank was less than one quart. A fuel sample was taken from the gascolator and it was found to be blue in color and free of contaminants. The main fuel line from the wing tanks was loosened and the line was empty of fuel. The engine rotated freely when turned by hand.
The pilot reported that, after leveling off from the descent, that he should have made a more conscious effort to scan his instruments and gauges, with "special emphasis on fuel gauges." He also reported that he preflighted the fuel tanks with a wooden dipstick.
NTSB Identification: ERA12LA470
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Farmingdale, NJ
Aircraft: CESSNA 182A, registration: N2166G
Injuries: 1 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On July 21, 2012, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N2166G, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and collision with terrain near Monmouth Executive Airport (BLM), Farmingdale, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot had minor injuries. The airplane was registered to a corporation and was operated by Skydive Jersey Shore under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at BLM about 1615.
The pilot reported that he was returning to the airport after dropping parachutists at 9,000 feet. While approaching the airport, the engine lost power and stopped running. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field and the airplane collided with some poles and the nose gear collapsed.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The inspector confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage. The wreckage was recovered to a local maintenance facility where a subsequent examination of the engine will be performed.
FAA IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 2166G Make/Model: C182 Description: 182, Skylane
Date: 07/21/2012 Time: 2030
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: FARMINGDALE State: NJ Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED,
FARMINGDALE, NJ
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 1 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: TETERBORO, NJ (EA25) Entry date: 07/24/2012
A pilot sustained minor injuries after his single-engine plane (pictured) had to make an emergency landing Saturday, July 21, 2012 at Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall Township.
Photo courtesy of Mike Grossman
WALL — A small plane coming in for a landing at Monmouth Executive Airport after a short trip to send off some skydivers on Saturday hit the grass just short of the runway.
Police are still investigating what caused the single-engine Cessna to land short of the runway, though Wall police Sgt. Steve Walter said mechanical failure could have forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.
“The plane landed in a grass field just short of the runway threshold. Upon contacting the grass field, the landing gear of the plane collapsed. The plane then skidded on its underside and came to a stop,” Walter said.
Authorities responded to the scene just after 4 p.m. Saturday and located the plane at the northwest end of the airport.
The pilot, later identified by management as Matt Gomez of Ocean Township, sustained only minor injuries and the Wall First Aid Squad took him to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment, Walter said.
The plane will be out of commission until the problem is deciphered and it passes 100 hours of mandatory inspection, said John Todorov, manager and instructor for Skydive Jersey Shore, where Gomez has been a pilot for three seasons.
An incident like this hasn’t happened before, Todorov said, adding that fortunately, the pilot was the only one on the plane and was mostly uninjured.
“We’re glad everybody’s fine,” he said.
The skydiving school had 80 skydivers scheduled Saturday, Todorov said. That meant 45 loads split between three planes, he said.
Representatives with State Police, state Department of Transportation Aeronautical Unit, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Glendola Fire Company, MONOC Paramedics and Allaire Airport Management staff responded to the scene, Walter said.
Story and photo: http://www.app.com
