Cessna 172 N5405T

Summary

On 8 May 2025 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5405T, operated by EnvySky, was involved in an accident near Florida City, 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

8 May 2025 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Florida City, Florida, United States

Coordinates

25.3609, -80.5554

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5405T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

EnvySky

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pembroke Pines → Naples

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA200

1 person had minor injuries.

The commercial pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of total 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

The purpose of the flight was for the pilots to build flight experience, with the commercial pilot practicing simulated instrument meteorological conditions in the left seat, while the private pilot acted as a safety pilot in the right seat. About 2 hours into the night cross-country flight, the airplane sustained a loss of total engine power without any warning or roughness. The commercial pilot tried to restart the engine but was unsuccessful, so the private pilot performed a forced landing to a swamp. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the wreckage 3 days later revealed that the right wing fuel tank contained adequate fuel but the left wing fuel tank contained only residual fuel. The engine was subsequently test run successfully at a recovery facility. The airplane was 61 years old, and its fuel selector handle placard was not as intuitive as other similar models. Specifically, the handle had to be at the 12 o’clock position to select both fuel tanks. The commercial pilot set it at about the 11 o’clock position, which would use only the left fuel tank. It is likely that the commercial pilot exhausted the fuel in the left fuel tank, which resulted in fuel starvation. The commercial pilot also reported that more awareness of the specific aircraft model differences could have prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.