NTSB Factual Report

On August 23, 2004, at 1155 central daylight time, a Cessna 182, N92848, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a municipal park near Crystal Lake, Illinois, after a loss of engine power. The pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed Vermilion County Airport (DNV), Danville, Illinois, at 1058, and was en route to Greenwood-Wonderlake-Galt Airport (10C), Wonderlake, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that he conducted a preflight at DNV and checked both fuel tanks using a fuel tank dipstick. The left tank had 30 gallons and the right tank had 18 gallons. He reported that he secured both fuel caps. The planned flight time was 58 minutes and that he had 3 hours of fuel on board.

He reported that about 58 minutes after departure he was approximately 4 miles north of the Lake in the Hills Airport (3CK), Lake in the Hills, Illinois, when the engine started to run rough and quit. He applied carburetor heat, switched the fuel selector to "Left" from "Both," put the mixture control to rich, checked the magnetos, and tried to restart the engine but without success. He established the best glide speed and turned toward 3CK. He realized that he was not going to be able to make the airport because the airlane was too low. He executed a forced landing to a park that contained playing fields. During landing rollout the airplane impacted a row of pine trees at the east end of the soccer fields. The airplane remained in a normal, upright position. The pilot exited the airplane without injury.

The Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector reported that the left wing fuel cap was missing and the left fuel tank was empty. He reported that the top left wing sheet metal, left flap, and left rear horizontal stabilizer had fuel stains trailing from the left fuel tank filler opening. He reported there was no sign of fuel spilled on the ground around the left wing and there was no smell of fuel. A search of the surrounding area was made for the missing left fuel cap, but it was not found.

The right wing separated from the fuselage. The right fuel tank cap was still installed. The right fuel tank was empty. There were no fuel stains on the top right wing surface, right flap, or right horizontal stabilizer. He reported there was no sign of fuel spilled on the ground around the right wing and there was no smell of fuel.

The FAA inspector reported that the right fuel cap was not an original Cessna fuel cap. The fuel cap was an after market Monarch Air Device fuel cap. The right fuel cap tether chain was not secured to the fuel tank as required by the Supplemental Type Certificate.

The FAA inspector reported, "A continuity check of the Continental IO-520-F did not reveal any discrepancies."

NTSB Probable Cause

Engine failure due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to secure the left wing fuel cap during preflight. A factor was the trees.