19991002030549A

(.19) On October 2, 1999, about 2204 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N49508, registered to Pensacola navy flying club, inc., crashed on the roof of a shopping mall while making a forced landing following loss of engine power at Pensacola, Florida, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight last departed dauphin island, Alabama, the same day, about 2130. The pilot reported to air traffic controllers at the FAA Pensacola airport control tower, that he was inbound to land at Pensacola and that he was low on fuel. The flight was cleared to land on runway 8. A short time later, the pilot reported the engine had quit. Controllers observed the aircraft crash on the roof of a shopping mall about 1 mile west of the airport. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector showed the aircraft's fuel system contained no usable fuel and that there was no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft before or after the accident. Fire department personnel reported to the FAA inspector that there was no fuel leakage from the aircraft onto the mall roof after the accident. (.4)the pilot and passenger did not check the fuel quantity prior to departure. While approaching the destination the engine began to fluctuate between 2,500 and 500 RPM. The pilot reported to controllers that he did have any fuel. The engine quit and the pilot attempted to make a forced landing in the parking lot of a shopping mall. The pilot then observed cars and made a forced landing on the roof of the mall. Post crash examination of the aircraft and crash site by FAA and fire department personnel showed the aircraft contained no usable fuel and there was no precrash or post crash fuel leakage from the aircraft. The carburetor was replaced and the engine was started and operated to full power with no evidence of failure or malfunction. Teardown examination of the accident carburetor showed no evidence of failure or malfunction. All fuel lines were unobstructed. The aircraft operator stated the aircraft had flown 4.5 flight hours since the last refueling and that the aircraft holds 24.5 gallons of usable fuel. They stated the aircr aft consumes about 6 gallons of fuel per flight hour. (-23)pilot was on a round robbin flight from Pensacola regional to dauphin island and back. He had stopped at dauphin island for a snack and enroute to pns. On intitial contact with the pns ATCT, the pilot advised that the was low on fuel. Approximately one mile from the airport the aircraft engine quit and the pilot made an off airport landing on the roof of a shopping mall. The pilot received facial cuts and the passenger received internal injuries requiring hospital admission. No visual check was made of fuel on board prior to departure from dauphin insland and the amount of flying that had occured prior to this flight left inadequate fuel on board to succesfully conduct this operation.