Manatee County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmetto, Florida 33561
Sunday, December 16, 1990 14:24 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT TOLD TO PURCHASE FUEL. THE MANAGER OF THE FLIGHT SCHOOL DENIED THIS. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE NOT INDICATING EMPTY WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PURCHASE FUEL BEFORE DEPARTURE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INACCURATE FUEL GAUGES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/16/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1424
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PALMETTO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33561
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANATEE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48X
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1446 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 196
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1669
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 16 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43164
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67334
NTSB Number MIA91LA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 152-81762
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUNCOAST AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1000 N. HERCULES AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CLEARWATER
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34625
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OBE
Departure City OKEECHOBEE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLW
Destination City CLEARWATER
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --