Cessna P172D N8582X

Summary

On 4 October 1997 at about 20:25 local time, a Cessna P172D registered N8582X was involved in an accident near Umatilla, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 October 1997 at 20:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Umatilla, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Umatilla Municipal Arpt (X23)

Coordinates

28.9194, -81.6600

Aircraft

Cessna P172D

Registration

N8582X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Plymouth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98LA005

1 person had minor injuries.

The improper fuel tank selector position by the pilot-in-command resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before takeoff the passenger noted that the right and left fuel tank gauges indicated empty and 3/4 full respectively. After takeoff with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. The pilot pumped the throttle and the engine sputtered then quit. While descending for a forced landing in a field, the nose landing gear collided with a fence causing the airplane to nose over and impact the ground inverted. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank contained about 4.5 gallons of fuel and the left fuel tank contained about 13.0 gallons of fuel. According to the airplane type certificate data sheet the unusable fuel quantity for each fuel tank is 5.25 gallons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.