# NTSB investigations, 2020: 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 ERA21LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA059.md): Piper PA38 · Pembroke Pines, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 2, 2020 · N2420F · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
- [NTSB WPR21LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA055.md): Cessna 152 · San Bernardino, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Nov 14, 2020 · N757PY · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate preflight inspection.
- [NTSB WPR21LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA015.md): Cessna 152 · South Hill, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 15, 2020 · N6585L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel supply had been completely drained of water, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to water contamination.
- [NTSB ERA20LA325](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA325.md): Ercoupe F 1 · West Kingston, RI · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 21, 2020 · N3000G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to conduct a proper preflight inspection and ensure the fuel was uncontaminated, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and forced landing.
- [NTSB ANC20LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA093.md): Piper PA22 · Homer, AK · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 14, 2020 · N8875C · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power during the initial climb due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident was the corrosion of the fuel tank filler necks, which resulted in water intrusion into the fuel tanks.
- [NTSB CEN20CA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA316.md): Robinson R44 · Hebron, NE · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 27, 2020 · N771GB · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight to sump the fuel tanks prior to flight.
- [NTSB ERA20LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA261.md): Cessna 177RG · Salinas, PR · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 24, 2020 · N1813Q · Substantial damage
  > Contamination and corrosion within the fuel system that resulted in a blockage, starvation of fuel to the engine, and the total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA20LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA198.md): Piper PA-24-180 · Humboldt, TN · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 29, 2020 · N6989P · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power due to contaminated fuel.
- [NTSB ERA20LA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA179.md): Beech F33 · Land O Lakes, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 12, 2020 · N711JA · Destroyed
  > The partial loss of engine power due to a contaminated fuel system and the pilot’s improper decision to attempt a takeoff with a known deficiency in engine power.
- [NTSB CEN20LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA132.md): Cessna T210 · Waxahachie, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 25, 2020 · N5553C · Substantial damage
  > The partial loss of engine power due to water and contaminants in the fuel, due to the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, and the pilot’s decision to conduct a steep turn at low altitude to return to the runway rather than land straight ahead, which…
- [NTSB CEN20LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA063.md): Piel CP301 · Paulding, OH · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 17, 2020 · N4120 · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane following the loss of engine power. The loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation due to the degraded fuel tank and fuel contamination.

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 2020
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '193' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence?year=2020

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