# Accident 19981231046169A: Cessna 177, Ft Lauderdale, FL, December 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 31, 1998, 17:12 local time
- Place: Ft Lauderdale, FL
- Airport: Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.0892° N, 80.1798° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0892&lon=-80.1798&mi=10
- Aircraft: N29451, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29451-2021-07-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177 (registry code 2073704, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,193 total, 508 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA061) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981231046169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) TWICE, 1 MONTH EARLIER, ERRATIC ENGINE OPERATION NOTED FOLLOWING ENGINE SHUTDOWN. DURING PREFLIGHT 5 DAYS BEFORE ACCIDENT, FUEL STAIN WAS NOTED ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WHEEL PANT, FUEL QUANTITY NOT VISUALLY VERIFIED.  AFTER A FLIGHT 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, FUEL LEAKAGE FROM CARBURETOR NOTED.  THE PILOT, NON A & P MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE DISCREPANCY AND DID NOT HAVE THE CARBURETOR EXAMINED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN TO ANOTHER BAHAMAS AIRPORT WHERE 14 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE PURCHASED; THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT FILLED BASED ON THE COST AND FOR SAFETY WHILE FLYING OVER WATER.  THE PILOT USED A NON-CALIBRATED DIPSTICK.  THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED, AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AFTER CUSTOMS WAS KNOWINGLY CLOSED, WAS ADVISED OF SUCH.  THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TOWARDS ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.  THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON A ROAD.  POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED FLOODING AT LOW THROTTLE SETTINGS DUE TO FAILED FLOAT HINGE PIN AND MISSING AND INCORRECTLY INSTALLED HARDWARE WHICH WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN FUEL FLOW AT FULL RICH POSITION.  THE CARBURETOR HAD ACCUMULATED 544 HOURS S INCE INSTALLATION FOLLOWING OVERHAUL 5 YEARS 11 MONTHS EARLIER. (-23) AFTER DIVERTING FROM FXE TO PLL DUE CUSTOMS CLOSURE, EXPERIENCE AN ENGINE FAILURE AT 1000' ON APPROACH TO RWY 13 AT RLL. CHOSE TO LAND ON SR 84 WESTBOUND. CONTACTED DRAWBRIDGE WITH LEFT GEAR (RIPPED IT OFF) AND AS HE LANDED ON RT 84 WITHOUT THE LEFT GEAR SWERVED INTO THE DIVIDER RAIL. TORE THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FROM ITS POSITION. DAMAGED FLAP ON GUARD RAIL. LEFT FUSELAGE WAS DAMAGED IN DOOR AREA.

## 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 MIA99LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA061), Dec 31, 1998: Cessna 177 (N29451), Fort Lauderdale, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The intentional operation of the airplane by the pilot with known deficiencies in equipment (fuel leakage from the carburetor), poor preflight by the pilot for his failure to visually determine that…

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.

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