- Date
- April 1, 2007, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N828EWCessna 206G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Ft. Laderdale FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070401005529A
- Case key
- 65539
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 management during the landing approach, resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and a forced off-airport landing.
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 he was 15 miles north of the destination airport when he was cleared for a left downwind landing. He said he switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank, and noted the right fuel tank was indicating 20 gallons. When he selected flaps, they would not work. On short final, he attempted to apply power, and noticed the engine was not producing power. He switched to the right fuel tank, with no response from the engine. He elected to land in a field, and made a hard landing in the grass, where the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the left fuel tank had ample fuel, but the right fuel tank was empty. The inspector stated that the accident airplane was out of annual inspection, and the pilot's biennial flight review was past due.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he departed from Gainesville, Florida and proceeded to fly direct to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at approximately 2,500 feet mean sea level, with clear weather. He was 15 miles north of the airport when he was cleared for a left downwind landing on runway 8. At this time, he switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank was still indicating 20 gallons. When he selected flaps, during the approach, they would not work. On short final, he attempted to apply power and noticed the engine was not producing power. He switched back to the right fuel tank with no response from the engine. He elected to land the airplane in a field, making a hard landing in the grass. The airplane's nose gear and belly cargo pod separated before the airplane flipped over and came to a stop.
Post accident examination of the airplane by FAA revealed that the left fuel tank had a large quantity of fuel. The right fuel tank had no fuel. The responding FAA inspector stated that the accident airplane did not have an Import Inspection, or a U.S Airworthy Certificate, and was out annual inspection. The airplane's records showed it was ferried to Miami, FL. on November 11, 2004 from Jamaica. The pilot's biennial flight review was past due.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N828EW
- Reported as
- Cessna 206G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20606469
- Airframe hours
- 7,000
- Engine
- Continental IO-520F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Eric Wiborg
- Registered owner
- Eric J. Wiborg
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GNV · Gainesville, FL
- Destination
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Airport
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale Executive, runway 80, 6,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 10 in this make and model · 650 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KFXE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.