# NTSB MIA98LA065: Cessna 172, N6261E, Valkaria, FL, January 31, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 31, 1998, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Valkaria, FL - Coordinates: 27.979803, -80.580146 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9798&lon=-80.5801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 13, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38448 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38448/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA065 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate preflight, and subsequent loss of engine power, due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot was on a short flight to buy fuel at Valkaria. The pilot reported that at a cruise altitude of about 1,500 feet, the engine began to sputter. He said that before he departed, '...my fuel indicators were showing, left tank between 1/2-1/4 and right just above 1/4 tank...I did not dip my tanks.' About 6 miles from the destination airport, the airplane's engine 'sputtered.' He switched to the left tank, the right tank, then back to both tanks. He tried both magnetos, and the problem did not clear. The engine then was 'windmilling.' The pilot elected to make a forced landing in a field, and the airplane struck a tree with the left wing. Examination of the airplane revealed, no fuel in either tank. Examination of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies. ## Factual narrative On January 31, 1998, about 1530 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N6261E, owned by a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91, personal flight, impacted with a tree during a forced landing near Valkaria, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The flight had originated from Sebastian, Florida, at 1515. The pilot was on a short flight to buy fuel at Valkaria. At a cruise altitude of about 1,500 feet, the pilot reported that the engine began to sputter. He said that before he departed, "...my fuel indicators were showing, left tank between 1/2-1/4 and right just above 1/4 tank...I did not dip my tanks." About 6 miles from the destination airport the airplane's engine "sputtered." He switched to the left tank, the right tank, then back to both tanks. He tried both magnetos and the problem did not clear. The engine then was "windmilling." He could not maintain altitude so elected to make a forced landing in a field, and struck a tree with the left wing. Examination of the wreckage revealed, no fuel in either tank. Examination of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6261E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6261E), registered now, S/N 46361, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 46361 - Airframe hours: 5154 - Engines: Continental O-300-A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Howard A. Gibson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 1997, 20 hours before - Departed: X26, SABASTIAN, FL - Destination: X59 - Airport: X59, Valkaria, runway 9, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, invalid medical for flight; seat: left; flight hours: 182 total, 124 in this make and model, 182 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MLB, 10 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 19980131002459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980131002459A), Jan 31, 1998: Cessna 172, Valkaria, FL, Substantial damage. Lost power on short flight to obtain fuel. Wing hit a tree on forced landing. Fuel tanks were empty. (-23) Mr. Dennis gibson piloted the CE-172 form sebastian… ## Other investigations on N6261E (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 NYC00LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA095), Mar 19, 2000: Cessna 172 (N6261E), New Brighton, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions. A factor was the windshear encountered on final approach. 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.