# NTSB investigations: Continental 0-300 series: Fuel contamination

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA084.md): Cessna 172 · Taylor, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 26, 2025 · N172BX · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that resulted in a loss of engine power due to water contamination.
- [NTSB CEN21LA206](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA206.md): Cessna 170B · Curtis, NE · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 19, 2021 · N2955D · Substantial damage
  > Water contamination of the airplane’s fuel supply which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB CEN19LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA311.md): Cessna 172 · Grassy Butte, ND · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 10, 2019 · N5347T · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, and the pilot's failure to conduct a preflight inspection.
- [NTSB ANC19LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA006.md): Cessna 172 · Anchorage, AK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 3, 2018 · N2809L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in the wing striking the runway. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel contamination.
- [NTSB GAA18CA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA160.md): Cessna 172 · England, AR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 7, 2018 · N1889Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to detect water in the fuel system during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during departure and a subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA17LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA234.md): Cessna 172 · Cape Coral, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 7, 2017 · N2492U · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination with water and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection that detected, but did not fully resolve, the water contamination of the fuel system.
- [NTSB CEN17LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA241.md): Cessna 172 · Fulton, MO · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 24, 2017 · N6474B · Substantial damage
  > The partial loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system.
- [NTSB WPR16LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA133.md): Cessna 172 · Salmon, ID · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2016 · N7748U · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to water in the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate preflight inspection that failed to eliminate water from the fuel system.
- [NTSB ERA16LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA018.md): Cessna 172 · Campobello, SC · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 18, 2015 · N6636A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to water contamination.
- [NTSB ERA15LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA301.md): Cessna 172 · Kissimmee, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 9, 2015 · N8370X · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
- [NTSB ERA11LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA065.md): Cessna 172 · Hobe Sound, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 16, 2010 · N8306B · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination in the carburetor.
- [NTSB CEN10LA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA282.md): Cessna 172 · Las Cruces, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 30, 2010 · N2723U · Destroyed
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of water contamination in the fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. Contributing the accident was an inoperative number 5 cylinder exhaust valve.
- [NTSB WPR09LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA021.md): Cessna 172A · Coolidge, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 23, 2008 · N7822T · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('17022')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '193'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/cases?engine=17022

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
