Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164C N6596K accident near Glenn, California

Probable cause

The pilot’s fuel mismanagement, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, and an off-airport hard landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, he departed for the aerial application flight with the fuel gauge indicating a half-full tank of fuel and a full load of product. About 100 ft above ground level the engine lost total power. The pilot elected to make a forced landing to a narrow dirt frontage road. The airplane landed hard and came to rest upright. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged.

Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that no usable fuel was present in the center fuel tank nor from the wing fuel tanks. Maintenance personnel reported that they checked the fuel gauge in the cockpit, and it revealed that the center fuel tank was indicating half full. When the float connected to an arm in the center tank was manipulated, the fuel gauge in the cockpit moved but not in a manner coincident with the placement of the float, and that the fuel gauge may have been reporting false quantities of fuel.

An engine inspection revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot reported that he did not refuel the airplane based on the fuel gauge indications that the fuel tank was half full. Thus, the pilot did not properly manage the airplane’s fuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the total loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR21LA200 for the full record.