- Date
- February 19, 2000, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Leesburg, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N68197Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000219033999A
- Case key
- 48655
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he miscalculated his fuel consumption and ran out of fuel prior to reaching the destination airport. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or component failures with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On February 19, 2000, about 1730 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N68197, collided with water while attempting an emergency landing following a loss of engine power near the Leesburg Municipal Airport, in Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Sanford, Florida, at 1700.
The pilot stated that on February 18, 2000, he departed Daytona Beach, Florida, with full tanks of fuel and flew to Marco Island, Florida. The pilot then added nine gallons of fuel to his tanks in Marco Island, Florida and flew to Sanford, Florida. He stated that he used six gallons per hour as his fuel burn during the flight and calculated the remaining fuel on board to be one hour when he arrived in Sanford. He reported that on the following day, February 19, 2000, he departed Sanford, Florida for Leesburg, Florida, which is a 30 minute flight. He reported that he ran out of fuel on approach to Leesburg Municipal Airport and made a forced landing 200 meters from the approach end of runway 31.
The pilot reported that he miscalculated his fuel consumption and ran out of fuel prior to reaching the destination airport. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or component failures with the airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68197
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15282178
- Airframe hours
- 7,836
- Engine
- Lycoming 152, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Philair
- Registered owner
- Air Lease Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 11, 2000 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- SFB · Sanford, FL
- Destination
- LEE · FL
- Airport
- LEE · Leesburg Municipal, runway 31, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 219 total · 80 in this make and model · 147 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 0° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 72 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.