- Date
- March 13, 1998, 09:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Arcadia, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N54634Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980313006799A
- Case key
- 4012
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate pre-flight and in-flight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of power. Trees and rough/uneven terrain are contributing factors.
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.
Analysis
The pilot stated that, during his preflight inspection, he did not recall making a visual check of the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks. The flight departed en route to inspect eagles' nests for the state game and fish commission. As the flight approached a nest for inspection, the engine lost power. Attempts by the pilot to restart the engine, failed. The pilot selected an emergency landing area. The airplane collided with an orange tree during the approach to land. According to the pilot, the forced landing area was rough and uneven. An examination of the airplane at the accident site disclosed that there was no fuel in either fuel tank. The wreckage examination also failed to disclose any obvious mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On March 13, 1998, at 0920 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N54634, collided with a tree and a fence, according to the pilot, during an emergency landing near Arcadia, Florida. The aerial survey flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. According to the pilot, visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The air transport rated pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Arcadia Airport in Arcadia, Florida, at 0920.
According to the pilot, on the day of the accident he arrived at the Lakeland Airport and completed a preflight inspection of the airplane and prepared the airplane's, navigational system for the flight. Way points (eagle nests positions) were programmed into the navigational radios for the mission. The pilot said that, there were two full fuel indications on the gauges when he turned on the aircraft master switch. The pilot also stated that, he always made a visual check of the fuel in the tanks, but during this preflight inspection, he did not recall making a visual check of the fuel quantity in the fuel tanks.
When the passenger arrived, the flight departed Lakeland, Florida enroute to Arcadia, Florida, and to inspect eagles' nests for the Florida Game and Fish Commission. After departing Lakeland, the pilot flew to the southern way points enroute to Arcadia. At 0915, the flight departed Arcadia, enroute to additional way points. As the flight descended for an approach to another nest, the pilot reported that the engine lost power. Attempts by the pilot to restart the engine, failed. The pilot selected an emergency landing area. The airplane collided with an orange tree during the approach to land. According to the pilot, the forced landing area was rough and uneven.
An examination of the airplane at the accident site disclosed that there was no fuel in either fuel tank. The wreckage examination also failed to disclose any obvious mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54634
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275017
- Airframe hours
- 8,529
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-03J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Florida Game And Fresh Water
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 30, 1997 · 95 hours before
- Destination
- FMY · Ft Myers, FL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 54
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 720 as pilot in command · 152 in the last 90 days · 68 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PGD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.