Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 152 near Carrizo Springs, TX — 2013-06-17

Final reportCEN13LA354
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Date
2013-06-17
Location
Carrizo Springs, TX, USA
Airport
KCZT
Aircraft
CESSNA 152
Registration
N49108
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to identify the water contamination of the fuel system during his preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during the airplane’s initial climb.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after an initial preflight of the airplane, he had the fuel tanks topped off with aviation fuel. He then completed another preflight inspection that included straining the fuel and rechecking the engine oil. The pilot stated that there were no anomalies with engine operation during his before-takeoff engine run-up or during takeoff; however, during the initial climb, when the airplane was about 300 feet above the ground, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power as he maneuvered the airplane to a nearby dirt road for an off-airport landing. The airplane impacted terrain after the right wing collided with tree branches during the forced landing. A postaccident examination revealed a significant amount of water contamination in the airplane’s fuel system. The airport’s fuel service truck was checked for water contamination; however, no water contamination was present in samples obtained after the accident. A review of available rainfall data indicated that 5 to 7 inches of rain had fallen since the airplane had last been flown. The loss of engine power was likely due to water contamination of the fuel system. The amount of water contamination that was detected in the fuel system after the accident should have been identified by the pilot during a normal preflight inspection. The engine examination did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel selector position before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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