# Accident 20070907831389A: Cessna 172, Mooresville, NC, September 7, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 7, 2007, 11:00 local time
- Place: Mooresville, NC
- Airport: Lake Norman Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6231° N, 80.9103° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6231&lon=-80.9103&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6729A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6729A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172 (registry code 2072402, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Reported engine: CONT O300*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 16,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA07CA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07CA141) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070907831389A

## Narrative

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

(-23) N6729A, A CESSNA CE-172, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, PILOT-IN-COMMAND, DURING HIS CLIMB TO ALTITUDE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE, SCANNED THE IMMEDIATE AREA AND LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE. THE APPROACH AND LANDING WERE UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE COMMAND PILOT NOTICED A GOLFER ON THE FAIRWAY. IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE GOLFER, HE MADE A TURN HAVING THE WING CONTACT THE GROUND, GROUND LOOPING THE AIRCRAFT WITH A SLIGHT PROP STRIKE ON THE GROUND (GRASS FAIRWAY). THE PIC STATED THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT FLOWN IN MONTHS AND HE DID AN EXTRA THOROUGH PREFLIGHT. THE PIC STATED HE DRAINED A LOT OF WATER FROM BOTH TANKS UNTIL HE HAS GOOD FUEL FOR SEVERAL DRAINS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS IN FLIGHT WAS WATER IN THE FUEL WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR SUMMARY OF HIS INSPECTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED AND RELOCATED BACK TO LAKE NORMAN AIRPORT. THE GASOLATOR (FUEL BOWL) WAS DRAINED WITH ABOUT 50% FUEL AND 50% WATER CONTAINED. A REEXAMINATION OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND KNOWLEDGE ON APPROPRIATE PREFLIGHT ACTIVITIES WAS COMPLETED SATISFACTORILY.

## 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 MIA07CA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07CA141), Sep 7, 2007: Cessna 172 (N6729A), Mooresville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane by the pilot-in-command for his failure to remove all water contamination from the fuel system.

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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