Cessna 172P accident near Spruce Creek, Florida, September 11, 2014
On September 11, 2014, a 1981 Cessna 172P, registered N63835, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Spruce Creek, Florida (Spruce Creek airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted from the pilots’ improper preflight and in-flight fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2014
- Place
- Spruce Creek, Florida · Spruce Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P, built 1981 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N63835 · no longer on the register · serial 17275487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction departed on a training flight, and the pilot stated that the fuel tanks were "almost full." After 3 hours 24 minutes of flight, which included three full-power takeoffs and climbs, the engine experienced a total loss of power on final approach to the destination airport. According to Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control records, multiple one-leg flight plans were filed for the flight. Based on this information, the estimated fuel endurance was 3 hours 20 minutes. The pilot receiving instruction stated that the fuel selector was in the "both" position throughout the flight but that, on final approach, he noticed that the fuel selector had been switched to the "right" tank position, so he moved the fuel selector back to the "both" position. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped producing power. The flight instructor stated that the pilot inadvertently selected the "off" position instead of the "both" position when he moved the fuel selector from the "right" tank position. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane's cabin and fuselage were damaged, but both wing fuel tanks remained intact. No signs of in-flight or postaccident fuel leakage were found. Postaccident examination showed that the left wing tank contained no fuel and that the right wing tank contained about 3 gallons of fuel. A test run of the engine was performed following the accident using the fuel found in the right wing tank. The engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously with no anomalies observed. According to the airplane manufacturer, the airplane's fuel tanks had a total capacity of 43 gallons, of which 3 gallons were unusable. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilots exhausted all of the usable fuel during the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on final approach to their destination airport.
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 final) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 314 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 244 as pilot in command; 21 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,312 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 11, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 2,205 hours total
- Operator: Liao Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 7FL6 Spruce Creek FL at 8:57 pm
- Destination: 7FL6 Spruce Creek FL
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 05, 4,000 ft by 176 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.