# NTSB MIA02LA165: Cessna T337D, N33N, Fort Pierce, FL, September 1, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 2002, 12:53 local (16:53 UTC) - Place: Fort Pierce, FL - Coordinates: 27.495, -80.368331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4950&lon=-80.3683&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55648 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55648/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA165 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of the fuel supply, and subsequent 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, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The pilot stated that he estimated that at takeoff the airplane had about 35 gallons of fuel on board, and after about 45 minutes, while in cruise flight, at an altitude of 4500 feet, the front engine suddenly ceased operating. He stated that he had experienced problems in the past with water in the fuel tanks, so he did not declare an emergency, even after unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine. He said the airplane was maintaining 120 knots, and fully controllable while being only powered by the rear engine. He said that in his mind, it was only water in the left tank, and his destination, Fort Pierce, Florida, was only 10 miles away, so he continued to his destination. After contacting FAA Fort Pierce Air traffic Control Tower, the pilot said that he then entered a right base, turned on to the final approach course for an approach to land on runway 09, lowered his landing gear, set 10 degrees of flaps, and was on final at about 600 feet altitude, when all of a sudden the rear engine ceased operating. He said the only area to land was a small field on the right, so he turned 90 degrees, and entered a dive to prevent the airplane from stalling. The aircraft impacted in an orange grove, rebounded once, and then stopped in a canal. The pilot stated the engines failed due to fuel "starvation", and added that "the airplane had not been loaded with enough fuel..." Prior to the accident, the pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or to any of its systems.The FAA Inspector who responded to the accident scene stated that during his examination he discovered no fuel in the fuel tanks, and mimimal fuel at the scene. ## Factual narrative On September 1, 2002, about 1253 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T337D, N33N, registered to K.R. Aviation Inc., and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing in an orange grove in Fort Pierce, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the commercial-rated passenger received minor injuries. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the same day, about 1130. The pilot stated that he estimated that at takeoff the airplane had about 35 gallons of fuel on board, and after about 45 minutes, while in cruise flight, at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the front engine suddenly ceased operating. He stated that he had experienced problems in the past with water in the fuel tanks, so he did not declare an emergency, even after unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine. He said the airplane was maintaining 120 knots, and fully controllable while being only powered by the rear engine. He said that in his mind, it was only water in the left tank, and his destination, Fort Pierce, Florida, was only 10 miles away, so he continued to his destination. After contacting FAA Fort Pierce Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot said that he then entered a right base, turned on to the final approach course for an approach to land on runway 09, lowered his landing gear, set 10 degrees of flaps, and was on final at about 600 feet altitude, when all of a sudden the rear engine ceased operating. He said the only area to land was a small field on the right, so he turned 90 degrees, and entered a dive to prevent the airplane from stalling. The aircraft impacted in an orange grove, rebounded once, and then stopped in a canal. The pilot stated the engines failed due to fuel "starvation", and added that "the airplane had not been loaded with enough fuel..." Prior to the accident, the pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or to any of its systems. The FAA Inspector who responded to the accident scene stated that during his examination he discovered no fuel in the fuel tanks, and mimimal fuel at the scene. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N33N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N33N-2015-05-19), registration cancelled 2015-05-19, S/N 337-1122, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T337D - Registry model: [Cessna T337D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t337d) (registry code 2075719) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 337-1122 - Engines: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-A-3 210 horsepower reciprocating; Continental TSIO-360-A3 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: K. R. Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Destination: FPR, Fort Pierce, FL - Airport: FPR, Fort Pierce ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,600 total, 30 in this make and model, 1,300 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: FPR ## 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 20020901026459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020901026459A), Sep 1, 2002: Cessna T337D, Fort Pierce, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft crashed into drainage canal three quarters of mile short of Fort Pierce airport runway 9. The pilot stated that the front engine shut down and… ## Other investigations on N33N (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 CHI89LA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI89LA172), Aug 19, 1989: Cessna T-337D (N33N), Howell, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL'S NOT PERFORMING CORRECT CALIBRATION OF FUEL GAGES. 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.