# NTSB MIA95LA029: American General AG5B, N624FT, Lakeport, FL, November 27, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 27, 1994, 16:58 local (21:58 UTC) - Place: Lakeport, FL - Coordinates: 26.829584, -81.090362 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.8296&lon=-81.0904&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 13, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 37700 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA95LA029 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37700/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA95LA029 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HER LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal - fluid,fuel - starvation - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - sign ## Analysis DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2,500 FEET, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE PUSHED THE MIXTURE CONTROL FULL RICH AND THROTTLE FULL FORWARD AND THE ENGINE POWER WAS RESTORED FOR 1 MINUTE THEN FAILED AGAIN. SHE DID NOT REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR OR CHECK THE MAGNETOS AFTER THE LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED ON A ROAD, COLLIDED WITH ROAD SIGNS AND AN UNMARKED TRANSMISSION LINE THEN CRASHED INTO A CANAL. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS DRAINED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN ALL WATER, NO FUEL. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS DRAINED AND FOUND TO CONTAIN 12 GALLONS OF FUEL, NO WATER. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE LEFT WING WAS SUBMERGED. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE IMPACT DAMAGED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY. ## Factual narrative On November 27, 1994, about 1658 eastern standard time, an American General AG5B, N624FT, registered to and operated by the Florida Institute of Technology, crashed into a canal during a forced landing near Lakeport, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant was not injured. The flight originated from the Homestead General Aviation Airport, Homestead, Florida, about 1638. The flight was a planned three-leg solo cross-country with a full stop landing at the first airport. Before departure for the first flight, each fuel tank was full. The pilot stated that before landing at the first airport, she positioned the fuel selector to the opposite tank. The duration of the first flight was 1 hour 22 minutes according to ATC transcripts. After landing, 5 gallons of fuel were added to each of the two fuel tanks. The flight departed for the second leg and the pilot initially stated that she didn't reposition the fuel selector before landing. She later stated that she positioned the fuel selector to the opposite tank before landing. She performed one touch-and-go landing then departed for the return leg. During cruise flight at 2,500 feet with the fuel/air mixture leaned, the pilot stated that the engine experienced a sudden nearly total loss of engine power. She applied full throttle and pushed the mixture full rich and the engine power was restored for about 1 minute then quit again. She stated that she did not move the fuel selector or the ignition switch after the engine failure but verified that the ignition switch was in the "both" position. According to a sheriff's deputy who responded to the accident site, the airplane landed on a road and each wing of the airplane contacted a road sign. The airplane then became airborne, collided with an unmarked transmission line, and crashed into a canal. The pilot further stated that she doesn't recall the fuel selector position at takeoff from Melbourne. The left wing of the airplane was submerged but the right wing of the airplane was not. The airplane was pulled from the canal and the fuel tanks were drained through each sump drain. The left tank was found to contain all water and no fuel. The right fuel tank was found to contain 12 gallons of fuel; no water was found. Both fuel tanks were found to be impact damaged. The fuel tank vent system for each tank was determined to be free of obstructions. About 1/2 hour after the accident a volunteer fireman arrived at the accident site and turned off the fuel selector and ignition switch. He stated that he does not recall their positions before doing so. The engine was placed on a test stand, started, and found to operate normally. Fuel consumption calculations revealed that total fuel consumption from engine start of the first leg to the time of the accident was about 35 gallons. This includes 1.2 gallons of fuel for engine start, taxi, and takeoff as noted in the endurance performance chart for the airplane. The calculations also include fuel to climb and descend for the first two legs, fuel to climb on the last leg, and fuel consumed during the cruise flight portions of each leg. Based on the student pilot's initial statement that she moved the fuel selector during the first leg, but didn't move it during the second leg and doesn't recall moving it during the third leg, the usable fuel in the left tank at the time of the accident was calculated to be about 1/2 gallon. The right tank was calculated to be nearly full at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N624FT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N624FT-2004-11-03), registration cancelled 2004-11-03, S/N 10031 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American General Aircraft AG5B - Registry model: [American General Acft AG5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-general-acft-ag5b) (registry code 3990100) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 10031 - Airframe hours: 1706 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4K 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Florida Inst. Of Technology - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 18, 1994, 4 hours before - Departed: X51, HOMESTEAD, FL - Destination: MLB, MELBOURNE, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 7 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RSW, 43 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 19941127039239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941127039239A), Nov 27, 1994: Amrgen AG5B, Lakeport, FL, Substantial damage. Lost power en route. Struck road signs trying to land. Ballooned into wires. Fell into canal. Left fuel tank empty. 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.