# NTSB ATL05CA107: Cessna 172 K, N7748L, Panama City, FL, June 19, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 19, 2005, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Panama City, FL - Coordinates: 30.069999, -85.583053 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0700&lon=-85.5831&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FSDO 09 Birmingham - NTSB case key (mKey): 61917 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA107 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61917/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA107 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate planning of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The student pilot was in the process of completing a routine solo cross country flight back to Tyndall Air Force Base when the engine lost power. When his attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, the student pilot chose a parking lot for an emergency landing. The airplane landed in the parking lot. The student pilot then applied "full brakes" in an effort to stop the airplane, however the airplane failed to stop by the end of the parking lot and hit a curb. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear torn from the airframe and the airplane was inverted. There was also no fuel recovered from the right or left fuel tanks. Further examination revealed that the fuel tanks were not breached. The pilot reported that he took off with 38 gallons of fuel. The performance data for the Cessna 172K states that it consumes about 10.90 gallons of fuel per hour. The accident airplane had flown for a total of 4 hours since the last refueling. ## Factual narrative On June 19, 2005, 1530 central daylight time, a Cessna 172 K, N7748L, registered to the United States Air Force, and operated by the Tyndall, Air Force Base, (AFB) Flying Club, collided with the ground at a parking lot located at Gulf Coast Community College, in Panama City, Florida. The instructional flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a Visual Flight Regulations (VFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The student pilot received no injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Florida , on June 19, 2005 at approximately 1130. The student pilot stated that he was in the process of completing a routine solo cross country flight back to Tyndall AFB while flying at 3,500 feet the engine sputtered and quit . When his attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, the student pilot chose a parking lot approximately 900 feet long at Gulf Coast Community College for an emergency landing. The airplane landed in the parking lot at the midpoint leaving approximately 400 feet of the parking lot to stop. The student pilot stated that he then applied full brakes in an effort to stop the airplane, however the airplane failed to stop by the end of the parking lot and hit a curb. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear torn from the airframe and the airplane was inverted. There was also no fuel recovered from the right or left fuel tanks. Further examination revealed that the fuel tanks were not breached. The pilot reported that he took off with 38 gallons of fuel. The performance data for the Cessna 172K states that it consumes about 10.90 gallons of fuel per hour. The accident airplane had flown for a total of 4 hours since the last refueling. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7748L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7748L-2008-02-13), registration cancelled 2008-02-13, S/N 17259013, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 K - Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17259013 - Engines: Continental 0-300 Ser 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tyndall AFB Flying Club - Registered owner: United States Air Force - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Departed: KPAM, Panama City, FL - Destination: KPAM, Panama City, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 23; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 43 total, 43 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: KPFN, 3 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050619012239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050619012239A), Jun 19, 2005: Cessna 172K, Panana City, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on solo cross country flight did not purchase fuel when told to do so by flight instructor. Aircraft ran out of fuel six miles from… ## Other investigations on N7748L (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA77DLA34](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA77DLA34), Jun 2, 1977: Cessna T-41A (N7748L), Panama City, FL, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.