# Accident 20031215034409A: Cessna 182P, Watsonville, CA, December 15, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 15, 2003, 15:13 local time
- Place: Watsonville, CA
- Airport: Watsonville Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.9378° N, 121.7831° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9378&lon=-121.7831&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1595M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1595M-2004-07-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182P (registry code 2075816, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P
- Reported engine: CONT O470*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,081 total, 1,408 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04FA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04FA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031215034409A

## Narrative

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

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (WVI) AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 PST THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILED AT ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. PILOT MADE ABOUT A 90 DEGREE LEFT HAND DESCENDING TURN BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND, WINGS LEVEL. NTSB WAS ON SCENE AND DISCOVERED WATER IN THE CARBURETOR. TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH PILOT REVEALED THAT HE PULLED THE LOW POINT STRAINER KNOB BUT DIDN'T CHECK THE WINGS FOR WATER. SUSPECT WATER CONTAMINATION OF FUEL SYSTEM TO BE CAUSAL TO ACCIDENT.

## 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 LAX04FA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04FA068), Dec 15, 2003: Cessna 182P (N1595M), Watsonville, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. A contributing factor was the pilot/owner's failure to comply with the…

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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