# NTSB investigations, 2023: 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 WPR24FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA056.md): Vans RV8 · Corona, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 16, 2023 · N6948L · Substantial damage
  > Fuel contamination from the pilot’s improper application of a sealant to the fuel tank, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power on takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA24LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA022.md): Mooney M20E · Pembroke Pines, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 26, 2023 · N1953Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
- [NTSB WPR23LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA349.md): Cessna 172N · Compton, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 20, 2023 · N733ZN · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power on takeoff due to water-contaminated fuel. Contributing to the accident was the inadequately maintained fuel system, which resulted in water entering the fuel tanks through the filler caps.
- [NTSB WPR23LA297](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA297.md): Bell OH-58A · Blanchard, ID · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2023 · N613SS · Substantial damage
  > Fuel contamination, which resulted in a loss of engine power. The source of the contamination could not be determined.
- [NTSB WPR23LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA263.md): Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Marble Falls, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 9, 2023 · N163RK · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination from an unknown source.
- [NTSB ERA23LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA290.md): Piper PA-28-235 · Clearwater, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 5, 2023 · N8579W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper preflight inspection which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel contamination (water).
- [NTSB WPR23LA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA220.md): Piper PA-30 · Nephi, UT · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 8, 2023 · N7318Y · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination as a result of the inadequate removal of fuel system corrosion during previous maintenance.
- [NTSB WPR23LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA183.md): Aero Vodochody L-39ZA · Barnhart, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 2, 2023 · N343WT · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel from an undetermined source.
- [NTSB WPR23LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA167.md): Gates Learjet 35A · Page, AZ · Occurrence · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 24, 2023 · N135SH · No damage
  > The fueler’s inadvertent addition of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to the FSII reservoir on the fuel truck, and its subsequent mixture with the JET A that was used to fuel the airplane, resulting in a total loss of power to the right engine and a partial loss of…
- [NTSB CEN23LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA153.md): Ryan Navion A · New Waverly, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 12, 2023 · N4229K · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power as a result of fuel contamination.
- [NTSB CEN23LA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA147.md): Bell OH-58A · Wade, OK · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 29, 2023 · N82851 · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
- [NTSB ERA23FA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA163.md): Larry F Preiss AR-1 · Gainesville, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Mar 25, 2023 · N47AR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to detect water-contaminated fuel that resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent impact with a wire and terrain during an attempted forced landing.
- [NTSB ERA23LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA117.md): Piper PA-28-140 · Buford, GA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 24, 2023 · N7470R · Substantial damage
  > Water contamination in the fuel system that was not observed during the preflight inspection, resulting in a total loss of engine power and forced landing.
- [NTSB ANC23LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA013.md): Taylorcraft BL-65 · Wasilla, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 14, 2023 · N29886 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to remove all water from the fuel tank, which resulted in fuel contamination and a subsequent partial loss of engine power.

## 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") = 2023
  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=2023

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