MIA99LA033

The pilot stated that the flight departed and after reaching his third to the last checkpoint, he could not located his next checkpoint. He orbited the area then became lost and about 3 hours 30 minutes after the flight departed, he contacted the Miami AFSS and advised he was lost, the right fuel tank and empty and the left fuel tank was low on fuel. He then flew away from the congested area expecting to perform a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion and after the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion, he landed the airplane on a dike. During the landing roll, the airplane rolled off the dike and collided with trees. The airplane had been operated for 3.8 hours since takeoff according to the hour meter. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks were empty.

On November 12, 1998, about 1240 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N65611, registered to Elide Corp., and operated by Aircraft Development Flight Airways dba ADF Airways, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Coral Springs, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 0839 from the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida.

The pilot stated that he filed a VFR flight plan for the flight to the Palm Beach County Glades Airport located in Pahokee, Florida, and after passing a highway which was his third to last checkpoint, he did not locate the next check point. He recognized that he was disoriented and attempted to locate the checkpoint which was a road but when he was unable, he began to panic. He then began flying in circles to locate a familiar landmark and when he was unable, he elected to return to his departure airport. At 1103, the pilot contacted the Miami Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and cancelled his flight plan to the airport located in Pahokee, and requested that the flight plan to the departure airport be opened. At 1110, personnel from the Miami AFSS contacted the airplane operator, and advised them that the flight was returning to the departure airport. Personnel from the airplane operator asked that the pilot be advised to stop in Pahokee, Florida, to refuel. The pilot was advised of that message in english and spanish by Miami AFSS and at 1209, the pilot contacted the Miami AFSS and stated that he did not have enough fuel and he was lost. The pilot stated that the right fuel tank gauge was indicating empty and the left fuel tank gauge was "...very low on fuel." He reported that he flew away from the congested area because he was expecting to perform a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion and after the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion, he executed the emergency procedures and observed a dike. He elected to land on the dike and after touchdown to the south, the airplane went off the left side of the dike and collided with trees.

Postaccident examination of the fuel tanks revealed that they contained no fuel. The airplane had been operated 3.8 hours since departure according to the hour meter.