Event CHI04LA120

Factual narrative

On May 15, 2004, at 1745 central daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N188SA, operated by 1 Low Flyer Inc., sustained substantial damage on impact with trees during a forced landing after a loss of engine power in cruise flight. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight departed at 1700 from a private airstrip near Liberty, Missouri, where it had been conducting aerial spraying, and was en route to Lawrence Smith Memorial Airport (LRY), Harrisonville, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he had finished spraying the last field at 1715 and the left fuel gage showed 1/2 tank of fuel remaining. He reported that he headed south for Harrisonville, Missouri. He flew over Lee's Summit Airport, Lee's Summit, Missouri, and the Aries power plant near Pleasant Hill, Missouri. He reported, "I noticed no power from [the] engine and began looking for a place to land. [The] engine was windmilling. I was out of altitude. I heard the airplane hit the trees." During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that the right tank was dry when he departed the field for Harrisonville, and the left gage indicated 1/2 tank of fuel, or about 14 gallons of fuel. He reported the airplane burned about 14 gph and that he had about 45-60 minutes of fuel remaining. He reported, "Appears I ran out of gas. I should have had one hour of fuel by the gas gage." The fuel system was inspected during the recovery of the airplane. The right fuel tank was dry. The left wing tank had a ruptured fuel line. The inspection revealed there was no fuel found from the fuel line to the engine driven fuel pump. No fuel was found from the engine driven fuel pump to the mixing valve/fuel control. No fuel was found in the line from the fuel control to the fuel distributor/spider. The airplane was on a positioning flight when it sustained substantial damage on impact with trees during a forced landing after a loss of engine power in cruise flight. The pilot reported that he had finished spraying the last field at 1715 and the left fuel gage showed 1/2 tank (14 gallons) of fuel remaining and the right tank was dry. The pilot reported the airplane consumed about 14 gallons of fuel per hour, and that he thought he had about 45-60 minutes of fuel remaining when he departed the field. The pilot reported that the engine quit while in cruise flight, and he excuted a forced landing and impacted trees at approximately 1745. The fuel system was inspected during the recovery of the airplane. The right fuel tank was dry. The left wing tank had a ruptured fuel line. The inspection revealed there was no fuel found from the fuel line to the engine driven fuel pump. No fuel was found from the engine driven fuel pump to the mixing valve/fuel control. No fuel was found in the line from the fuel control to the fuel distributor/spider. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12