# NTSB MIA90LA012: Cessna 152, N911SA, Immokalee, FL, October 17, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 17, 1989, 12:41 local (16:41 UTC)
- Place: Immokalee, FL
- Location: 26.4240° N, 81.4216° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Immokalee, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.4240&lon=-81.4216&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32594
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90LA012
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32594/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90LA012

## Probable cause

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT BECOMING LOST OR DISORIENTED, AND THE TREE(S) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise
  - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- On ground/water collision with object, landing
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE BECAME DISORIENTED WHILE ON A FLT FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL TO FORT MYER, FL.  HE OBTAINED ASSISTANCE, BUT THE ACFT LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE HE REACHED AN ARPT.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING & WAS DAMAGED.  AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT HIS ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE WAS PLANNED TO BE 3.3 HRS WITH 4 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD.  THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AFTER 3 HRS & 12 MIN OF FLT.  WITNESSES & FUEL RECEIPTS SHOWED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN ABOUT 1.5 HRS ON THE PREVIOUS EVENING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N911SA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N911SA-1991-01-26), registration cancelled 1991-01-26, S/N 15285247 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15285247
- Airframe hours: 5239
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Shields Aviation Of Georgia, doing business as Air Academy
- Registered owner: Shields Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 24, 1989, 480 hours before
- Departed: CRG, JACKSONVILLE, FL
- Destination: FMY, FORT MYERS, FL
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 79 total, 8 in this make and model, 37 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: FMY, 7 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 19891017065289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891017065289A), Oct 17, 1989: Cessna 152, Immokalee, FL, Substantial damage. Ran out of fuel en route. Struck a tree trying to land on dirt road. Failed to visually check fuel on preflight.

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.

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