# NTSB MIA05LA155: Cessna 172M, N901NS, Ocean Springs, MS, September 13, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 13, 2005, 15:12 local (20:12 UTC) - Place: Ocean Springs, MS - Coordinates: 30.389999, -88.753334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3900&lon=-88.7533&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 29, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Cessna Aircraft Company, FAA FSDO, Textron Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 62526 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA05LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62526/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05LA155 ## Probable cause The pilot's mismanagement of available fuel and continued operation with the fuel selector set to the left tank position, which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - maneuver to avoid obstructions - attempted, pilot in command - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated that he had no recollection of the accident. Another pilot/witness stated that he was also a contract pilot working for the same survey company, and he had been conversing with the accident pilot while conducting aerial surveys in his airplane at the time. The witness said he observed events and heard radio communications during and after the accident. The witness said he heard the accident pilot say that his airplane's engine started running rough, and about 20 seconds later he heard a "mayday" call on the radio, and that the accident pilot said that his airplane's engine had ceased operating, and he was going down. He said he first saw the accident airplane when it was at an altitude of about 800 feet, and he saw the pilot divert to an open field and set up for a left downwind. The witness said he then saw the pilot "crank" the airplane around in a tight turn to avoid power lines. According to the witness, the airplane hit the ground in a left spin, nose down, and came to an abrupt stop. According to an FAA inspector, shortly after the accident occurred the accident airplane was defueled to prevent a safety hazard, and about 10 to 15 gallons of fuel was removed from the right wing. No fuel was found in the left wing. The inspector further stated that the fuel selector had been set to the left tank position, and there was no evidence of significant fuel spillage at the scene. In addition, technical representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Textron Lycoming Engines, performed detailed examinations on the airplane and its systems under the oversight of an FAA inspector, and the investigation confirmed that the fuel selector valve had been set to the left position. No other preaccident anomalies were noted to exist with the airplane or any of its systems ## Factual narrative On September 13, 2005, about 1512 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N901NS, registered to and operated by Reliance Aviation LLC, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight, crashed in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Milton, Florida, the same day, about 1300. The pilot stated that he had no recollection of the flight leading up to the accident, preparations for the flight, and portions of the day prior to the accident including up to 15 days beyond the day of the accident, however he stated that another pilot who was conducting similar survey flight operations near his location heard the radio communications, and saw the accident take place. The other pilot/witness stated that he was also a contract pilot working for the same survey company, Pictometry Inc., and he was conducting aerial surveys and was piloting his airplane at the time, and he observed events and heard radio communications during and after the accident. He said it was about mid-afternoon, and he and the accident pilot were talking on the working frequency while both conducting their respective survey flights, and during the conversation the accident pilot said that his airplane's engine stared running rough. About 20 seconds later the witness said he heard a "mayday" call on the radio, and that the accident pilot said that his airplane's engine had ceased operating, and he was going down. The witness said that they had both been at 3,000 feet , and he heard "ATC" give the pilot a vector for Ocean Springs, Mississippi, but stated that because of the hurricane related response activities, the accident pilot could not land there. The witness stated that it was at that time that he first sighted the accident airplane, and it was at an altitude of about 800 feet. He said he saw the accident pilot divert to an open field where "track" homes were being built, observed him set up for a left downwind, and then saw the pilot "crank" the airplane around in a tight turn. He said he then realized that the accident pilot was attempting to avoid power lines. The witness said he saw the airplane hit the ground in a spin, left nose down, and coming to an immediate stop. On September 14, 2005, an FAA inspector responded to the accident scene and conducted a postcrash examination. According to the inspector, shortly after the accident occurred, a representative with Ferguson-Harbour Incorporated, an environmental company, was on hand and defueled the accident airplane due to the potential safety hazard, removing about 10 to 15 gallons of fuel from the right wing. There was no fuel in the left wing. The inspector further stated that the fuel selector had been set to the left tank position, and there was no evidence of significant fuel spillage at the scene. On September 19, and 20, 2005, the FAA inspector along with technical representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Textron Lycoming Engines, performed detailed examinations of the airplane and its systems. The detailed examination of the fuel selector valve revealed that it had been set to the left position. No other significant preaccident anomalies were noted to exist with the airplane or any of its systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N901NS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N901NS-2013-08-08), registration cancelled 2013-08-08, S/N 17265031, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17265031 - Airframe hours: 6976 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 E2C 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Northern States Aviation - Registered owner: Reliance Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2005, 48 hours before - Departed: 2R4, Milton, FL - Destination: 2R4 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review September 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 1,243 total, 721 in this make and model, 1,080 as pilot in command, 116 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: GPT, 15 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 20050913021209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050913021209A), Sep 13, 2005: Cessna 172M, Ocean Springs, MS, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was taking photographs (aircraft configured with cameras iaw STC) of hurricane katrina damage at 3000 feet AGL, when pilot called gulfport ATC and… 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.