Mielec PZL-M-18 N45051

Summary

On 3 January 2003 at about 17:10 local time, a Mielec PZL-M-18 registered N45051, operated by Douglas Hodges, was involved in an accident near Immokalee, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 January 2003 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Immokalee, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.5381, -81.7586

Aircraft

Mielec PZL-M-18

Registration

N45051

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Douglas Hodges

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Immokalee → Hendry County

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03LA029

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision by his improper fuel management which resulted in fuel starvation. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in his failure to perform fuel consumption calculations and refueling of the aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, 20 minutes into the flight the engine flammed out while the airplane was in a left bank. As the pilot maneuvered for an emergency landing, the airplane's left wingtip struck trees, and the airplane collided with the ground. According to the pilot, in his preflight planning he did not compute the fuel consumption or reference the pilot operating handbook for the intended trip. The pilot stated he did not refuel the airplane after the initial load bearing trip. The pilot stated that this accident could have been prevented if he refueled the airplane before the initial load. According to the pilot this airplane is "notorious for poor fuel feeding when low on fuel".

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.