# NTSB IAD99LA001: Cessna 172K, N78624, Middlefield, OH, October 2, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 2, 1998, 14:11 local (18:11 UTC) - Place: Middlefield, OH - Coordinates: 41.449184, -81.069129 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4492&lon=-81.0691&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 44107 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD99LA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/44107/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD99LA001 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection 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, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system - exhaustion (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis After purchasing the airplane, the pilot took off without visually checking the fuel level in the tanks. After flying locally and landing at his home airport, the pilot elected to perform one more take off and landing. During the initial climb out, about 300 feet agl, the engine lost power. Past midfield and unable to land on the remaining runway, the pilot made a left 90 degree turn. Faced with an unsuitable landing area, the pilot turned right 45 degrees to land diagonally in a small field. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane prior to impacting a tree with the left wing. Upon examination of the airplane, no mechanical malfunctions were found with the airframe or the engine. A total of 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from both tanks. The airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook listed the unusable fuel as 3 gallons. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 1998, about 1411 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N78624, was substantially damaged as it impacted a tree during a forced landing after takeoff from the Geauga County Airport (7G8), Middlefield, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot/owner was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from 7G8, about 1410. The pilot reported that the prior owner of the airplane flew to 7G8, picked him up, and returned to Ashtabula County Airport (7G2), about 10 minutes away. Once there, the pilot purchased the airplane. After receiving the airplane's logbooks, the pilot departed 7G2, and flew in the local area for about an hour. Upon returning to 7G8, the pilot completed one touch and go, and a full stop landing. While taxiing to his hangar, the pilot decided to perform one more takeoff and landing. The pilot recalled that he was focused on the runway markers and airspeed as he took off. The airplane was "cranked up" (nose up attitude), when the engine lost power between 200 to 300 feet. Past midfield with power lines and a gas station at the end of the runway, the pilot made a left 90 degree turn. Faced with a hangar and parked airplanes, the pilot made a right 45 degree turn to land diagonally on an open field. Once on the ground, the pilot could not stop the airplane prior to hitting a tree. After hitting the tree, the pilot stated that the airplane whipped around and came to rest in a ditch with the empennage sticking into a road. The airplane remained upright and was towed to a hangar. During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane prior to departing 7G2, with both fuel gauges indicating about 1/4 tank. He did not visually check the fuel tanks during his inspection. He reported that during a discussion about the fuel gauges, the previous owner stated that they read low. The new owner understood that to mean there was more fuel in the tanks than what the gauges indicated. The flight back to his airport was bumpy and the gauges were bouncing around. The pilot recalled the gauges reading about an 1/8th, bouncing between E and 1/4. Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors examined the wreckage on October 5, 1998. They stated that the left wing, outboard of the support strut, was broken and folded back, the right wing tip was crushed, and the windscreen was broken. The Inspectors reported that the engine had drive train continuity, and compression was obtained from the cylinders. The spark plugs appeared new, and spark was obtained from the magnetos. The Inspectors stated that the fuel tanks maintained their integrity and they found a total of 1.5 gallons of fuel in both fuel tanks. The Cessna Pilot's Operating Handbook stated that the total unusable fuel onboard with standard fuel tanks was 3 gallons. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N78624](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78624), registered now, S/N 17257691, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172K - Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17257691 - Airframe hours: 3100 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David Jeffrey Bereck - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, May 28, 1998, 14 hours before - Departed: 7G8 - Airport: 7G8, Geauga County Airport, runway 28, 3,500 × 65 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 385 total, 215 in this make and model, 307 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 13,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: YNG, 20 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 19981002027979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981002027979A), Oct 2, 1998: Cessna 172K, Middlefield, OH, Substantial damage. Acft lost engine power after takeoff, made an emergency landing in field, wing struck a tree and partially came off. (.19)on October 2, 1998, about 1411… 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.