# Accident 20150324004259A: Cessna 150, Flushing, MI, March 24, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 24, 2015, 10:41 local time
- Place: Flushing, MI
- Airport: Dalton
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.0000° N, 83.0000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0000&lon=-83.0000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7987E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7987E-2015-07-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150 (registry code 2071802, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 581 total, 557 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA15CA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA020) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150324004259A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 13, 2015 THE PILOT FUELED N7987E ADDING 10 GALLONS OF 100LL.  WHILE FUELING THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL DID NOT LOOK RIGHT SO FUELING WAS DISCONTINUED.  FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER.  THE PILOT/MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO DRAIN 2 QUARTS OF WATER FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND 2 GALLONS OF WATER FROM THE LEFT TANK.  THE AIRCRAFT TAIL WAS LOWERED AND THE WINGS WERE ROCKED SEVERAL TIMES AND A QUART OF WATER WAS THEN REMOVED FROM EACH WING TANK.  BOTH TANKS WERE THEN TOPPED OFF WITH CLEAN FUEL AND CLEAN FUEL SAMPLES WERE SUMPED FROM EACH TANK.

ON MARCH 24, 2015 THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND SUMPED THE TANKS PRODUCING ABOUT 3 OUNCES OF WATER FROM THE LEFT TANK AND 2 OUNCES OF WATER FROM THE RIGHT TANK.  THE PILOT DRAINED ABOUT A QUART OF FUEL FROM THE BELLY DRAIN AND FUEL STRAINER WITH NO SIGNS OF WATER AND DETERMINED THAT ALL WATER HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS PERFORMED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AT 2200 RPM AND BRIEFLY TO FULL THROTTLE WITH NO ENGINE ROUGHNESS INDICATED.

AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 36 AT ABOUT 400' AGL THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY.  THE PILOT BANKED LEFT TOWARD A CLEARING AND LANDED IN A WOODED AREA.  THE PILOT WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH SITE AND WAS TREATED WITH 14 STITCHES TO THE FOREHEAD AND MINOR CUTS ON HIS RIGHT HAND SMALL FINGER.

ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED WATER CONTAMINATION IN BOTH FUEL TANKS AND THE AIRCRAFT BELLY SUMP.  ABOUT ONE QUART OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK AND 2 CUPS OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK.  2-3 OUNCES OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE BELLY SUMP.

## 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 GAA15CA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA020), Mar 24, 2015: Cessna 150 (N7987E), Flushing, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight.

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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