Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Palm Beach, Florida 33412
Tuesady, December 27, 1988 22:43 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT CONTACTED LAKELAND TOWER IN FLT ABOUT 2115 AND WAS TOLD THAT NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER 4 HOURS AND 12 MINUTES OF FLIGHT. HE THEN EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT PREFLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT AND VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL PRIOR TO FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2243
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WEST PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33412
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1049 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1834
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38081
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30564
NTSB Number MIA89LA059
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 177A
Aircraft Series Identifier 177A
Aircraft Serial Number 177-01330
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 Nov 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 2409
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE O SIMS JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 104 MAYORCA CT
Aircraft Owner City ROYAL PALM BCH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33411
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code OJ7
Departure City DOTHAN
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LNA
Destination City LANTANA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --