ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287676
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| Date: | Friday 15 June 2012 |
| Time: | 17:15 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 170 |
| Owner/operator: | Hart William C |
| Registration: | N3812V |
| MSN: | 18670 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3969 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental C145 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Biddeford, Maine -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Biddeford, ME (B19) |
| Sanford Airport, ME (SFM/KSFM) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
According to the pilot/owner and his instructor, the preflight inspection and the engine start, taxi, and takeoff checks were all completed in accordance with the checklists with no anomalies noted. The pilot/owner reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane seemed to 'take forever†to reach takeoff speed and that it used 'the whole runway.†When the airplane reached about 1,000 feet mean sea level, the engine stopped producing power, and the instructor took control of the airplane. He turned the airplane back toward the departure airport and performed remedial actions to regain engine power but was unsuccessful. When he determined the airplane would not reach the airport, he performed a forced landing to wooded terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Both pilots egressed without assistance. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the fuel system found it intact. Removal of the fuel pump caused water to spill from the pump. The pump was actuated by hand, and water was ejected from the pump. The carburetor float bowl contained a '50-50†mixture of water and fuel. The water in the fuel system, which should have been detected during a preflight inspection, led to the loss of engine power during takeoff.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/owner's inadequate preflight inspection.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA12LA397
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2022 13:19 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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