Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Labelle, Florida 33935
Thursday, August 23, 2007 13:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that she was on her first solo cross country VFR flight from Lantana, Florida, to Immokalee, Florida, to Air Glades, and back to Lantana. She stated that she departed from Lantana at 0930 eastern daylight time, for Immokalee, Florida, and further stated that she deviated from her course and tried to locate airports, but she could not find them. She said she was aware that she had endurance for 3 hours 30 minutes of flight, and keeping in mind that she was running out of time and fuel, decided to head back to Lantana. On her way back she said she tried to track Labelle and Pahokee VORs but could not, and by that time it was 1310, and she could not locate any airport in the close vicinity, so she decided to make an emergency landing in a field. During the landing the grass was tall and the pilot said she could not land properly, and the airplane incurred damage. An FAA Inspector who responded to the accident scene stated that during his examination of the accident airplane, he found the airplane sitting in a field, left wing down, at about a 45-degree angle, with the right side fuel tank was empty. When he dipped, the left fuel tank he stated that it contained about "two inches" of fuel. According to the inspector, his examination revealed no preaccident anomalies with the airplane or either of its systems, and there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the scene of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's attempted precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain which resulted in damage to the airplane during the landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Labelle
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33935
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 263649N
Event Location Longitude 0811500W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1325 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OBE
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22497
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 29 2007 8:02AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4824B
NTSB Number MIA07CA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15283657
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8930
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fallwell Aviation INc.,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4332 Richmond Hwy
Aircraft Owner City Lynchburg
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24501
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Rohan Aviation Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lantana
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33462
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 LNA
Departure City Lantana
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IMM
Destination City Immokalee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 19 2007 10:38AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --