Beech B19 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, December 1, 2012
On December 1, 2012 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N2196W, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale Executive airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2012 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Ft. Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N2196W · no longer on the register · serial MB-690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was an orientation for two potential student pilots. The pilot said that he completed a visual inspection of the fuel tanks and that he estimated that the fuel tanks contained 10 gallons of fuel, which he determined, would have been adequate for the flight. The pilot completed two traffic patterns, and as he climbed the airplane to the downwind leg of the third pattern, the engine lost power and "surged" during the subsequent forced landing. The pilot requested an emergency landing to runway 13 but amended his request to runway 8 because the airplane was "too high." He subsequently determined the airplane was "too low" for runway 8, and the airplane touched down hard on a taxiway and skidded to a stop in the grass infield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the cabin floor structure. Examination revealed that the airplane contained no fuel, and the pilot reported that he had exhausted his fuel supply.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 365 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 176 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 18, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,606 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 2012; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Status Air
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 08, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from FXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.