# Accident 19960717017989A: Piper PA18, Gatesville, NC, July 17, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 17, 1996, 18:45 local time
- Place: Gatesville, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.4003° N, 76.7494° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4003&lon=-76.7494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7168K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7168K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 899 total, 81 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL96LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96LA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960717017989A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER EN ROUTE. FLOATPLANE STRUCK TREES LANDING. FOUND WATER IN FUEL. HAD SAT OUT IN HEAVY RAIN. FLUSH CAPS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL96LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96LA108), Jul 17, 1996: Piper PA-18 (N7168K), Gatesville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in engine stoppage due to water contamination in the fuel system. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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