What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 9, 2015 privacy data omitted, holder of student pilot certificate number privacy data omitted was conducting student pilot solo operations at Kissimmee airport (kism) to practice takeoff's and landings in N8370X. On the third lap around the pattern the pilot stated that the engine quit. The pilot placed one radio call to Kissimmee tower stating "emergency". Subsequently, Kissimmee cleared N8370X to land on runway 33.
The pilot executed a left turn towards runway 33, yet while descending N8370X struck a palm tree on the airport property boundary causing the aircraft to impact the ground nose first next to the runway 33 localizer antenna.
During the course of the investigation, the propeller showed no evidence of rotation at impact.
Through further investigation it was determined that excessive fuel contamination was found in both fuel tanks, the fuel strainer, the carburetor, and the accelerator pump inside the carburetor.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 9, 2015 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HOLDER OF STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS CONDUCTING STUDENT PILOT SOLO OPERATIONS AT KISSIMMEE AIRPORT (KISM) TO PRACTICE TAKEOFF'S AND LANDINGS IN N8370X. ON THE THIRD LAP AROUND THE PATTERN THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT PLACED ONE RADIO CALL TO KISSIMMEE TOWER STATING "EMERGENCY". SUBSEQUENTLY, KISSIMMEE CLEARED N8370X TO LAND ON RUNWAY 33.
THE PILOT EXECUTED A LEFT TURN TOWARDS RUNWAY 33, YET WHILE DESCENDING N8370X STRUCK A PALM TREE ON THE AIRPORT PROPERTY BOUNDARY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GROUND NOSE FIRST NEXT TO THE RUNWAY 33 LOCALIZER ANTENNA.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, THE PROPELLER SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ROTATION AT IMPACT.
THROUGH FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EXCESSIVE FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND IN BOTH FUEL TANKS, THE FUEL STRAINER, THE CARBURETOR, AND THE ACCELERATOR PUMP INSIDE 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.
Other reports on N8370X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.