Cessna 182 N8304S

Summary

On 24 December 2005 at about 03:33 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N8304S was involved in an accident near Haines City, 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

24 December 2005 at 03:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Haines City, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Wales Municipal (X07)

Coordinates

28.1317, -81.6606

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N8304S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Raeford → Lake Wales

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

MIA06CA034

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation, and operation of equipment with known deficiencies, a right wing fuel cap leak, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he departed about 1845 to his destination with a planned stop en route to attend to some personal matters. He arrived at his stop about 1950, and departed there about 2015. He reached a cruising altitude of 7,500 feet, and estimated that it would take 2 hours and 25 minutes to reach his destination per his GPS. During his descent to his destination, at 5,500 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot was able to land the airplane in an orange grove 1 mile west of Highway 27, 14 miles south of his destination. The airplane skidded 200 feet before the nose gear separated, and the airplane nosed over. No fuel was observed leaking from the wings, and there was no post accident fire. The right wing fuel cap was observed to be not fully secured and with fuel streak stains. In addition, the pilot stated that when he topped off the accident airplane before departing, he noticed a fuel dye residue on the wing, blue in color. He stated that he is almost certain he ran out of fuel; however, he should have had enough fuel to make it to his destination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.