N8053GCessna 177RG · 1971

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, "I 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 unable to reach the airport, made a forced landing in a mud filled drainage channel, about .5 miles 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 ½ 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.

The pilot stated that he performed normal airplane checks after start up with the exception of the run-up. After another airplane departed prior to him, he taxied the airplane to the end of the runway. He performed a run-up, which included configuring the airplane for a high altitude maximum performance takeoff per the pilot operating handbook (POH). He leaned the engine for maximum rpm’s (revolutions per minute).

As he began the crosswind takeoff, with rpm’s and acceleration speed as expected, the airplane lifted off the ground about midfield, at 70 miles per hour (mph). The airplane was struck by "windshear," which caused the stall warning to sound, a descent, and drift to the left of runway centerline. He attempted to correct back to the runway with a right bank. The airplane settled onto the runway and then lifted off again. At this time the pilot did not perceive any damage to the airplane.

The pilot reported that he checked weather through Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS), and verified it with the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) weather for the airport. The ASOS reported winds from 180 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot stated that the windsock indicated an almost direct crosswind. He noted that runway 18/36 was closed, with a parallel taxiway marked and designated for takeoffs and landings. The taxiway length was 5,000 feet long by 60 feet wide. The closed runway length was 8,544 feet long by 150 feet wide. The pilot stated that he chose the preferred runway/taxiway (runway 36) for departure due to terrain conditions; runway 36 has descending terrain, while runway 18 has ascending terrain.

After arriving at the destination airport, as the pilot was tying down his airplane, he noted that the right stabilator top skin was buckled, as well as the lower skin and bottom of the tip was scraped. He believed that the damage was done when the airplane settled back onto the runway at the departure airport.

In the Recommendation (How could this accident have been prevented?) section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report (NTSB Form 6120.1), the pilot stated that he should have delayed the climb out until a higher airspeed was attained (should have accelerated more while in ground effect). He also indicated that he should have reconsidered his decision to takeoff based on the disparity between the windsock and ASOS information. The density altitude was calculated at 7,965 feet.

The pilot stated that there were no flight control anomalies with the flight back to the home airport.