Pilot Debrief

CESSNA A188B near Ripley, MS — 2009-11-08

Final reportERA10LA059
Sign in to save
Date
2009-11-08
Location
Ripley, MS, USA
Airport
25M
Aircraft
CESSNA A188B
Registration
N9368G
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed on final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power due to water in the fuel.

NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before starting the engine and letting it warm up for about 5 minutes. He then back-taxied on the runway and performed the run-up checklist before taking off. He subsequently flew the traffic pattern and was on final approach, at an altitude of about 500 feet, when the engine lost power about 250 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane then “went into a right hand dive and hit the ground.” A witness heard the engine “sputter and pop loudly,” and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector subsequently found water in the fuel. Propeller signatures indicated that it was turning under power when it contacted the ground.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel levels and quality before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

Related mishaps