What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 30, 2009, at around 10:00 am local, aircraft N12151, a Cessna 172M on a pleasure flight from Sarasota to venice beach and back. On return approximately 5 miles south of Sarasota the pilot stated he encountered an engine problem in cruise at 1100 feet. During compliance of emergency procedures the aircraft began to run rough and shaking as power was dropping off, they elected to turn towards the beach. The pilot squaked tampa tower under ife conditions and attempts to restart were unsuccessful. The aircraft crashed landed in a tree at a 60 degree left wing down angle, causing substantial damage to the fuselage, wings and tail. The cxrew stated they had about 30 gallons of fuel on board. Witness statements validated fuel was seen venting from left wing. The two pilots were not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 30, 2009, AT AROUND 10:00 AM LOCAL, AIRCRAFT N12151, A CESSNA 172M ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT FROM SARASOTA TO VENICE BEACH AND BACK. ON RETURN APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF SARASOTA THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE PROBLEM IN CRUISE AT 1100 FEET. DURING COMPLIANCE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND SHAKING AS POWER WAS DROPPING OFF, THEY ELECTED TO TURN TOWARDS THE BEACH. THE PILOT SQUAKED TAMPA TOWER UNDER IFE CONDITIONS AND ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED LANDED IN A TREE AT A 60 DEGREE LEFT WING DOWN ANGLE, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, WINGS AND TAIL. THE CXREW STATED THEY HAD ABOUT 30 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. WITNESS STATEMENTS VALIDATED FUEL WAS SEEN VENTING FROM LEFT WING. THE TWO PILOTS WERE NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.