Cessna 172P accident near Mims, Florida, May 8, 1993
On May 8, 1993 at about 4:36 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N63012, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mims, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO LEAN THE FUEL/AIR MIXTURE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT WHICH INCREASED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1993 · about 4:36 pm local time
- Place
- Mims, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N63012 · no longer on the register · serial 17275372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AND TWO OTHER AIRPLANES DEPARTED ON THE FIRST LEG OF A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. FUEL WAS NOT PURCHASED AT THE FIRST STOP BY ANY OF THE THREE AIRPLANES. THE FLIGHT OF THREE DEPARTED, AND THE OTHER TWO AIRPLANES LANDED AT THE PLANNED AIRPORT FOR A FUEL STOP. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION NORTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT & THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE INTO A CLEARING. THE AIRPLANE LANDED LEFT WING LOW WHICH CAUSED THE LEFT MAIN AND NOSE LANDING GEARS TO COLLAPSE. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FUEL. THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 2 QUARTS OF FUEL. THE GASCOLATOR CONTAINED ABOUT 1 OUNCE OF FUEL. THE CARBURETOR BOWL DID NOT CONTAIN ANY FUEL. THE PLT DID PERFORM FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS FOR THE FLIGHT BUT DID NOT LEAN THE FUEL/AIR RATIO DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE FUEL FLOW DURING CRUISE FLIGHT IS DETERMINED WITH THE RECOMMENDED LEAN MIXTURE SETTING. AN EGT INDICATOR WAS INSTALLED & ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, IS USED AS AN AID FOR MIXTURE LEANING DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 75 PERCENT POWER OR LESS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,691 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 6, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4J6 St. Mary'S GA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: TIX Titusville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from TIX, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N63012 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.