20030103001519A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · WSK PZL-M-18 · Immokalee, FL · January 3, 2003

Date: January 3, 2003 · 12:00 local
Place: Immokalee, FL
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N45051
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03LA029
Reported as: WSK PZLM18

N45051Registration cancelled Jul 24, 2008 · Wsk-Pzl-Mielec PZL-M-18S/N 1Z011-04 Airframe modelWsk-Pzl-Mielec PZL-M-18

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot experienced an engine flame-out and while trying to make an emergency landing on county road 833, the left wing struck a tree rotating the aircraft 180 degrees and sliding backwards on its landing gear. Damage was substantial. An inspection of the fuel tanks, at the scene, showed some fuel in the left tank and none in the right tank. This could have been caused by the altitude at which the plane rested (left wing low). To move the plane, the owner reported that they had removed 41 gallons of fuel from the tanks. The pilot reported that the fuel gages in the aircraft showed 1/4 in right and 3/8 in the left and the total fuel capacity of 188 gallons.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FLAME-OUT AND WHILE TRYING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON COUNTY ROAD 833, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE ROTATING THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES AND SLIDING BACKWARDS ON ITS LANDING GEAR. DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. AN INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS, AT THE SCENE, SHOWED SOME FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND NONE IN THE RIGHT TANK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ALTITUDE AT WHICH THE PLANE RESTED (LEFT WING LOW). TO MOVE THE PLANE, THE OWNER REPORTED THAT THEY HAD REMOVED 41 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE TANKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAGES IN THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED 1/4 IN RIGHT AND 3/8 IN THE LEFT AND THE TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY OF 188 GALLONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL03LA029Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportImmokalee, FLThe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision by his improper fuel management which resulted in fuel starvation. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in his failure to perform fuel consumption calculations and…Jan 3, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N45051 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19950925046539IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Winters, TXNarrative: on September 25, 1995, while performing aerial application, N4501, a model M18 dromader, registered and operated by steven ballard, experienced engine power loss and a subsequent emergency landing on a muddy open field was initiated by the pilot.…Sep 25, 1995 · Reported as WSK M18DROMADER · Minor damage Incident 19840224015399IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Burley, IDUsed heavy braking while landing in a crosswind. Allowed it to roll then braked again. Nosed up on the runway.Feb 24, 1984 · Minor damage