# Accident 19980117000399A: Cessna 150L, Guntersville, AL, January 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 17, 1998, 18:50 local time - Place: Guntersville, AL - Airport: Guntersville Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.3498° N, 86.2697° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3498&lon=-86.2697&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7443G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7443G-2012-07-09) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150L (registry code 2071826, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150L - Reported engine: CONT O200A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 370 total, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA033) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980117000399A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)ON JANUARY 17, 1998, AT 1850 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 150L, N7443G, DITCHED IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR GUNTERSVILLE, ALABAMA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED ON JANUARY 21, 1998. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED DURING THE ATTEMPTED SWIM TO SAFETY. THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ALBERTVILLE, ALABAMA, AT 1800 CST. THE PASSENGER TOLD AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL BEFORE HE AND THE PILOT DEPARTED ALBERTVILLE AIRPORT, IN ALBERTVILLE, ALABAMA. THE PASSENGER ALSO STATED THAT HE CONDUCTED THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND DID NOT OBSERVE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT HE WAS IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT AND THE PILOT WAS IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE PASSENGER ALSO REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE WHEN THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AS A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT. THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT A MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PRACTICE EMERGENCY WAS ATTEMPTED. ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER, AFTER THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART, THE PILOT TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE IN THE RIVER. AFTER THE RELATIVELY SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE FLOATED AND BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE. THE PASSENGER SAID THEY CLIMBED ON TOP OF THE AIRPLANE AND DECIDED TO SWIM TO A NEARBY BRIDGE. THE PASSENGER LOST CONTACT WITH THE PILOT DURING THE SWIM. THE PILOT NEVER REACHED SAFETY AND WAS RECOVERED FROM THE RIVER SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT; THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS PRESERVED UNTIL IT WAS EXAMINED LATER. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION, THE CARBURETOR DISPLAYED EVIDENCE OF WATER. THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND BENCH CHECKED AT AN APPROVED FAA REPAIR STATION. THE BENCH CHECK DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO PRODUCED IGNITION SPARKS FROM EACH IGNITION LEAD. THE CARBURETOR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A SERVICEABLE COMPONENT. AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE, THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS REMOVED AGAIN AND REUTRNED TO THE REP AIR STATION, WHERE A COMPLETE INTERNAL EXAMINATION WAS COMPLETED. DURING THIS PHASE OF THE EXAMINATION, THE SECONDARY SIDE OF THE MAGNETO COIL WAS INOPERATIVE. THE MAGNETO COIL WAS REPLACED WITH A SERVICEABLE COMPONENT. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS INSTALLED. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT MAGNETO DISCLOSED THAT THE SECONDARY COIL WAS ALSO INOPERATIVE. ACCORDING TO DR. DAVID P. MILLET, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) SOUTHERN REGIONAL FLIGHT SURGEON, THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DENIED ON JANUARY 14, 1998, BECAUSE OF HIS FAILURE TO PROVIDE REQUESTED INFORMATION BASED ON HIS MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF JULY 25, 1997. THE AUTOPSY ON THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTED BY DR. STEPHEN PUSTILNIK, ON MARCH 20, 1998, AT THE COOPER GREENE HOSPITAL IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE # ATL98LA033. ## 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 ATL98LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA033), Jan 18, 1998: Cessna 150L (N7443G), Guntersville, AL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional shut down of the engine in flight that resulted in the total loss of engine power. A factor was the failure of both magnetos. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.