ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 132902
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| Date: | Thursday 22 December 1994 |
| Time: | 18:30 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172C |
| Owner/operator: | Claudy, Steven |
| Registration: | N1620Y |
| MSN: | 17249320 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1283 hours |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL O-300-D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Laurel, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
DURING THE PREFLIGHT, THE PILOT FOUND THE LEFT WING FUEL CAP OFF. HE STATED HE DRAINED ALL THREE FUEL SUMPS, ROCKED THE WINGS, AND DRAINED THE SUMPS AGAIN. HE STATED THE ENGINE STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM AND HE TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO THE FUEL PUMP AND REFUELED THE AIRPLANE. HE STATED THAT AFTER THE REFUELING HE DRAINED THE FUEL SUMPS AGAIN. DURING THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE AND THEN REGAIN POWER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTED AIRPORT AND WHILE EN ROUTE THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A WOODED AREA SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED WATER IN THE FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENGINE QUIT EACH TIME. AFTER EACH ENGINE FAILURE, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. ONCE THE WATER WAS DEPLETED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM, THE ENGINE RAN WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST FLOWN ABOUT 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID IN THOSE 7 DAYS THERE WAS PRECIPITATION IN THE AREA. THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW FREEZING.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect water-contaminated fuel.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB BFO95LA022
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Apr-2024 17:42 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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