- Date
- February 16, 2024, 01:40 local (06:40 UTC)
- Place
- Pierson, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8257LCessna 172
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240216003689A
- Case key
- 193812
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 improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a repositioning flight, the engine lost power shortly before reaching the intended destination. The pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, he was unable to restore engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a heavily forested area, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, and both wings. The pilot stated that he performed a pre-flight fuel calculation with a total estimated fuel consumption of 33.75 gallons; the airplane had a 38-gallon usable fuel capacity. The pilot also reported that he had minimal sleep and was fatigued so he did not recalculate the amount of fuel on board during the flight. The pilot stated, “The accident happened due to fuel [exhaustion] and stretching the limits for way too much flying at night in a new-to-me aircraft the first time.” The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8257L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256457
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 6,350.2
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 2024 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- ASD · Slidell, LA
- Destination
- DED · Deland, FL
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 28, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,252.2 total · 15 in this make and model · 1,178.4 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KDED, 9 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KDED 160715Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/11 A3011 RMK AO2 T01170105=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.