Cessna P172D accident near Umatilla, Florida, October 4, 1997
On October 4, 1997 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Cessna P172D, registered N8582X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Umatilla, Florida (Umatilla Municipal Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper fuel tank selector position by the pilot-in-command resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1997 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Umatilla, Florida · Umatilla Municipal Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P172D · all P172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8582X · no longer on the register · serial P17257182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before takeoff the passenger noted that the right and left fuel tank gauges indicated empty and 3/4 full respectively. After takeoff with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. The pilot pumped the throttle and the engine sputtered then quit. While descending for a forced landing in a field, the nose landing gear collided with a fence causing the airplane to nose over and impact the ground inverted. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right fuel tank contained about 4.5 gallons of fuel and the left fuel tank contained about 13.0 gallons of fuel. According to the airplane type certificate data sheet the unusable fuel quantity for each fuel tank is 5.25 gallons.
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: 101 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,815 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1996; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X23 at 8:24 pm
- Destination: X04 Plymouth FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LEE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA98LA005.