Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 152 near Tamarac, FL — 2017-07-20

Final reportERA17LA254
Sign in to save
Date
2017-07-20
Location
Tamarac, FL, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 152
Registration
N714UY
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to ensure that the airplane's fuel system was free of water contamination before departing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.

NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor, the student pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before their training flight, and she observed him sample fuel from the left fuel tank four times to get water out of the tank. After the last sample, she observed no water. She did not observe fuel from the right fuel tank being sampled; however, the student pilot told her there was "a little water" in the right tank. She then performed her own preflight inspection and found no anomalies. They departed with the student pilot flying. During the first steep turn to the right, the engine lost total power; the student pilot leveled the wings, and engine power was restored. The flight instructor decided to return to the airport immediately. During the return flight, the engine lost total power again. The flight instructor performed a forced landing to a levy, during which the airplane flipped over and sustained substantial damage. Postaccident fuel samples taken from the lower fuselage drain and gascolator were contaminated with significant amounts of water. It is likely that this water contamination in the fuel resulted in the total loss of engine power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Right fuel tank not properly inspected for water before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents6

Related mishaps