- Date
- January 4, 2014, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Nome, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8177ACessna 170 - B
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140104000539A
- Case key
- 88642
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to adequately remove water-contaminated fuel during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the airplane was pulled out of the hangar and preflighted for a maintenance test flight, following an extensive annual inspection. Approximately 10 minutes after departure the airplane lost all engine power, and made an emergency landing on the sea ice. During the emergency landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. While inspecting the airplane after the accident, the pilot said he found water in the airplane's gascolator. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector revealed water in the fuel system, including the carburetor bowl. The pilot indicated that other than the water in the fuel, there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the pilot's written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board he noted that the accident might have been avoided if the airplane had been placed on level ground after it was pulled from the hangar, thereby allowing the water to be drained from the fuel system.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the airplane was pulled out of the hangar and preflighted for a maintenance test flight, following an extensive annual inspection. Approximately 10 minutes after departure the airplane lost all engine power, and made an emergency landing on the sea ice. During the emergency landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. While inspecting the airplane after the accident, the pilot said he found water in the airplane's gascolator. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector revealed water in the fuel system, including the carburetor bowl. The pilot indicated that other than the water in the fuel, there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the pilot's written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board he noted that the accident might have been avoided if the airplane had been placed on level ground after it was pulled from the hangar, thereby allowing the water to be drained from the fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8177A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 - B (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25029
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 5,172
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- James West
- Registered owner
- James West
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 2014
- Departed
- Nome, AK
- Destination
- Nome, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 30,000 total · 120 in this make and model · 30,000 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- PAOM, 9 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 215 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8177A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.