NTSB Factual Report

On June 1, 2010, at about 1932 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N1435F, owned by F and J Aviation Corporation and operated by a private individual, incurred substantial damaged during a forced landing into a field in Dania Beach, Florida, following a loss of engine power while on final approach for runway 9 right at the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL). The private pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, personal flight.

The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector stated that the pilot and passenger said they had started their cross country flight from New Orleans at about 0920 that morning. They stopped in Panama City, Florida and at the Williston Municipal Airport (X60), Williston, Florida, where the airplane was fueled prior to the flight to FLL. They departed X60 at 1608. The route of flight from X60 was south along the west coast of Florida until they reached the Naples, Florida area before turning east toward FLL. The pilot stated that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power when the airplane was about ¾ of a mile from the approach end of runway 9 right at FLL. After an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, the pilot made a 360 degree turn and elected to land in a field near the airport. A witness located within the FLL property stated that “the aircraft seemed to have lost speed but the approach altitude seemed appropriate” for landing before the crash. He observed the airplane in a nose up attitude in a right turn before it disappeared behind a line of trees.

The airplane came to rest upright with substantial damage to its fuselage, windshield, and nose section. The wingtips were bent upward and the nose gear collapsed and separated from the airplane. The main landing gear was bent aft and the lower section of the engine cowling was crushed. The engine’s inlet airbox, carburetor, exhaust pipe and muffler were damaged on impact.

A wreckage examination was conducted by the FAA. Both wing tanks were intact and fuel caps secured. The fuel selector lever was found in the both tank position. One half gallon of aviation fuel was drained from the right wing tank and no fuel was found in the left wing tank. There was no evidence of fuel leakage from the airplane in flight or at the accident site after the accident. The Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) for the accident model Cessna 172 states that the airplane holds 39 gallons of fuel, with 36 gallons usable.

A post accident engine run was conducted with National Transportation Safety Board and FAA oversight. The engine started on the initial attempt and operated up to full power with no evidence of failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.