# Incident 20191017021979I: Cessna 172, Melbourne, FL, October 17, 2019

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 2019, 21:06 local time
- Place: Melbourne, FL
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0836° N, 80.6081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Melbourne, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0836&lon=-80.6081&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7233A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7233A-2025-08-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172 (registry code 2072402, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C145 series (registry code 17012, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191017021979I

## Narrative

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

ON OCTOBER 17, 2019 A STUDENT PILOT WITH APPROX. 29 FLIGHT HOURS DEPARTED MELBOURNE AIRPORT (KMLB) AT 1830 FOR HIS FIRST CROSS COUNTRY SOLO FLIGHT.  HE TOOK OFF AND HEADED TO OKEECHOBEE (KOBE) WITH NO ISSUES.  THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE PLANNED FOR A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT WITH PROPER FUEL PLUS 45 MINUTES.  THE STUDENT PILOT HEADED NORTH EAST TOWARD KMLB FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT AND BECAME DISORIENTED ABOUT HALF WAY ON THE RETURN FLIGHT.  HE DESCENDED TO ABOUT 1500', CONTACTED KMLB TOW BUT THE  TOWER WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE HIS IDENT.  THE STUDENT PILOT THEN CONTACTED ORLANDO APPROACH AND ORLANDO APPROACH STATED " WE THINK YOU ARE WEST OF PATRICK AFB, SO THE STUDENT PILOT CONTACTED PALM BEACH AND THEY SAID HE WAS SOUTH OF THEM AND TOLD HIM TO FLY NORTH ALONG THE COAST.  THE STUDENT PILOT HEADED NORTH BUT SAID HE WAS STILL DISORIENTED AND DID NOT RECOGNIZED ANY LAND MARKS.  THE STUDENT PILOT CONTACTED MELBOURNE TOW AND THEY SAID FLY NORTH UNTIL WE CLEAR YOU FOR LANDING.  MELBOURNE TOWER CLEARED THE STUDENT PILOT TO LAND AT 9L, BUT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING ON APPROACH, THE STUDENT PILOT PUSHED THE THROTTLE TO FULL RICH, CARB HEAT ON AND INFORMED THE TOWER HE WAS GOING TO LAND ON 9R- (WHICH WAS CLOSER) - BECAUSE HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO 9L.  THE STUDENT PILOT STARTED PLANNING FOR A CLEAR LANDING SPOT ON A ROAD OUTSIDE (BEFORE) THE AIRPORT WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE A RUNWAY LANDING.  HE INFORMED THE TOWER OF HIS INTENTION TO LAND.  THE STUDENT PILOT THEN MADE A SAFE LANDING ONTO OLD NASA BLVD AND ROLLED INTO A GRASS STRIP.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION, I TOOK PICTURES OF THE STUDENT PILOT LOGBOOKS AND HE ONLY HAD THREE ENDORSEMENTS. 1 WRITTEN TEST, 1 SOLO FLIGHT, 1 NIGHT FLIGHT, BUT THE SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ENDORSEMENT ENTRY WAS NOT COMPLETED WHEN I REVIEWED THE STUDENT LOGBOOKS ON 10/18/2019.  THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT STATED THEY MADE THE CROSS COUNTRY TRIP TOGETHER EARLIER IN THE DAY ON 10/17/2019 (THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT).  THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN THE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND MET THE REQUIREMENT OF 91.413 HOWEVER THE 91.411 CERTIFICATION WAS OVERDUE.  THE PROP BOOK WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION.  THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS.  NO MECHANICAL SYSTEM FAILURES WERE FOUND.

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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