Cessna 177RG N2699V accident near Palatine, Illinois

Probable cause

The loss of partial engine power due to fuel starvation during departure which resulted in a forced landing and collision with a utility pole.

NTSB analysis

Shortly after departure, the airplane’s engine lost partial power and the pilot conducted a forced landing to a road. During the landing, the airplane struck a utility pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. After the accident, the fuel flow/pressure gauge displayed 5.5 gallons remaining. A short engine run was conducted, and no anomalies were detected. Following the engine run, 1 gallon of fuel was drained, which according to certification documentation, is the unusable fuel. An examination of the airplane’s fuel system revealed no deficiencies. Documentation for the fuel flow/pressure gauge used by the pilot to estimate onboard fuel informs pilots that the fuel remaining is the amount based on initial pilot inputs and that it should never be the primary indicator of fuel quantity and that fuel should be visually checked or measured before takeoff.

The circumstances of the accident are consistent with a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20LA403 for the full record.