# Accident 19980313006799A: Cessna 172P, Arcadia, FL, March 13, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 13, 1998, 09:20 local time - Place: Arcadia, FL - Airport: Arcadia Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.2100° N, 81.8491° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2100&lon=-81.8491&mi=10 - Aircraft: N54634, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54634) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172P (registry code 2072436, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Reported engine: LYC O320D2J - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,500 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 152 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98TA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98TA054) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980313006799A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. REPORTED POWER LOSS ON CLIMBOUT. COLLIDED WITH TREE AND FENCE ON FORCED LANDING. (.4) ON MARCH 13, 1998, AT 0920, EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172, N54634, COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND A FENCE, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING AN EMERGENCYLANDING NEAR ARCADIA, FLORIDA. THE AERIAL SURVEY FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIR TRANSPORT RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ARCADIA AIRPORT IN ARCADIA, FLORIDA, AT 0920. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HE ARRIVED AT THE LAKELAND AIRPOR AND COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND PREPARED THE AIRPLANE'S, NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM FOR THE FLIGHT. WAY POINTS (EAGLE NESTS POSITIONS) WERE PROGRAMMED INTO THE NAVIGATIONAL RADIOS FOR THE MISSION. THE PILOT SAID THAT, THERE WERE TWO FULL FUEL INDICATIONS ON THE GAUGES WHEN HE TURNED ON THE AIRCRAFT MASTER SWITCH. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT, HE ALWAYS MADE A VISUAL CHECK OF THE FUEL IN THE TANKS, BUT DURING THIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, HE DID NOT RECALL MAKING A VISUAL CHECK OF THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE FUEL TANKS. WHEN THE PASSENGER ARRIVED, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAKELAND, FLORIDA ENROUTE TO ARCADIA, FLORIDA, AND TO INSPECT EAGLES' NESTS FOR THE FLORIDA GAME AND FISH COMMISION. AFTER DEPARTING LAKELAND, THE PILOT FLEW TO THE SOUTHERN WAY POINTS ENROUTE TO ARCADIA. AT 0915, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ARCADIA, ENROUTE TO ADDITIONAL WAY POINTS. AS THE FLIGHT DESCENDED FOR AN APPROACH TO ANOTHER NEST, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS BY THE PILOT TO RESTART THE ENGINE, FAILED. THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN ORANGE TREE DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FORCED LANDING AREA WAS ROUGH AND UNEVEN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN EITHER FUEL TANK. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION ALSO FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY OBVIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) THE PILOT WAS APPROX. 2 MIN. INTO HIS SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY. HE HAD FLOWN 1 HOUR PRIOR. WHILE DESCENDING FROM 1,000 FT. TO 600/700 FT. TO VIEW EAGLES NEST, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STOPPED. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENC Y LANDING IN THE CORNER OF AN OPEN FIELD COMING TO A STOP IN THE EDGE OF AN ORANGE GROVE AFTER COLLIDING WITH TWO ORANGE TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE CRASH SITE REVEALED NO FUEL IN EITHER FUEL TANK. POST EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO OBVIOUS FAILURES. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR THAT THE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL98TA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98TA054), Mar 13, 1998: Cessna 172 (N54634), Arcadia, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate pre-flight and in-flight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of power. Trees and rough/uneven terrain are contributing factors. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.