Umatilla Municipal Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Umatilla, Florida 32784
Saturday, October 4, 1997 16:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City UMATILLA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32784
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport UMATILLA MUNICIPAL ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X23
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 107
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 241
Weather Observation Facility ID LEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 77
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1793
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1742
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8582X
NTSB Number MIA98LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model P172D
Aircraft Series Identifier P172D
Aircraft Serial Number P17257182
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1815
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL A. KOLACZENKO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 541 LITTLE WEKIVA RD.
Aircraft Owner City ALTAMONTE SPRNG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32714
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code X23
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1624
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X04
Destination City PLYMOUTH
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --