20081023851999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172A · Coolidge, AZ · October 23, 2008

Date: October 23, 2008 · 14:50 local
Place: Coolidge, AZ
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7822T
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09LA021
Reported as: Cessna 172A
Reported engine: Franklin 6A350C1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,100 total1,500 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N7822TRegistration cancelled Dec 3, 2014 · Cessna 172AS/N 47422 · Built 1960 Airframe modelCessna 172A Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot reported that he took off from sarita airport (37AZ). When he made a right turn after takeoff, the engine quit. He then selected the opposite tank and the engine failed to restart. The pilot then reports he made forced landing in a field 3 miles to the west of Coolidge airport. Aircraft then came to rest on its right side with the left wing up and in a nose down attitude. There was 1 gallon of fuel in the left tank, and 7 gallons in the right. Water was found in the fuel strainer, and evidence of water contamination was found in the carburetor.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM SARITA AIRPORT (37AZ). WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE THEN SELECTED THE OPPOSITE TANK AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. THE PILOT THEN REPORTS HE MADE FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD 3 MILES TO THE WEST OF COOLIDGE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT THEN CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH THE LEFT WING UP AND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS 1 GALLON OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, AND 7 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL STRAINER, AND EVIDENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09LA021Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCoolidge, AZA total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.Oct 23, 2008 · Substantial damage