Cessna 177RG N8053G accident near Byron, California

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, he was flying a 400-nautical-mile, cross-county flight. He reported that the outside air temperature along the route had been hot. He recalled that the engine temperature had been high and that he "increased the mixture to cool the engine down multiple times." As he approached his destination, the engine began "coughing for 3-4 minutes" before the engine stopped. He attempted to land at the destination airport but was unable to reach it, so he made a forced landing in a mud-filled drainage channel about .5 mile north of the airport.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage and windscreen.

A Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector examined the airplane's fuel system at the accident site. He reported that both fuel tanks were found empty, with about 1/2 cup of fuel at the bottom of the left tank, after removing the sump drain.

Per the National Transportation Safety Board's Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented with the "Use of [a] fuel dipstick for better measurement of fuel quantity."

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA505 for the full record.