Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 170 near Ridgely, MD — 2013-10-08

Final reportERA14LA050
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Date
2013-10-08
Location
Ridgely, MD, USA
Airport
RJD
Aircraft
CESSNA 170
Registration
N4216V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB narrative

The airplane had not been flown for about 8 months. Before departing to practice landings at the airport, the pilot/owner added aviation gasoline to the airplane's fuel tanks, which also contained automotive gasoline that had been added about 6 to 8 months previously. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane experienced a sudden, total loss of engine power. The pilot was not able to restart the engine or land on the runway, so he performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a ditch and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane had been operated for about 6 hours since its most recent documented annual inspection, which was performed about 3 years before the accident. The pilot reported that he found water in the airplane's fuel system the day before the accident but that fuel samples taken before the flight were not contaminated. Examination of the engine did not reveal evidence of any catastrophic engine malfunction; however, at the time of the examination, the engine and wings had been removed from the fuselage, which precluded an examination of the airplane's fuel system.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have addressed water contamination in fuel before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents6

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