- Date
- June 12, 1993, 10:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Mooresville, NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1619DCessna 170
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930612017969A
- Case key
- 3226
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
Poor maintenance practices during the rebuilding of the aircraft which allowed the fuel system to become contaminated and resulted in the subsequent fuel starvation of the engine.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he flew several minutes around the local area and returned to lake norman airport for a full stop landing. While on final approach, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. The pilot elected to climb out for another approach. During the climb, the engine continued to lose power, and the pilot's efforts to restore full power failed; the airplane collided with trees as the pilot maneuvered for an emergency landing. The fuel system examination revealed 'hair like' materials, and 'sand like' debris between the fuel selector valve and the gascolator which restricted fuel flow. After the debris was removed, fuel flowed to the engine. According to the pilot, one of the previous owners left the fuel system open for an extended time during rebuilding of the airplane.
Factual narrative
On June 6, 1993, at 1020 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170, N1619D, collided with trees during a climbout from Lake Norman Airport near Mooresville, North Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the airplane's occupants were not injured. The flight initially departed Mooresville, at 1000 hours.
According to the pilot, he flew several minutes around the local area and returned to Lake Norman Airport. While on final approach for a full stop landing, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. At this point, about 100 feet above the ground, the pilot elected to go around. During the attempted climbout, the engine continued to lose power, and attempts by the pilot to restore full engine power failed. The airplane descended into a terrain depression off the departure end of runway 14, and collided with trees.
During the fuel system examination, hair like and sandy materials were discovered in the fuel selector assembly between the fuel selector valve and the gascolator. The examination discovered that the fuel flow was restricted to the engine. Removal of the debris from the fuel lines resulted in the unrestricted flow of fuel the the engine.
According to the pilot, the airplane was rebuilt before he purchased it, and reportedly, the fuel system was open for an extended period of time before the completion of the rebuild process.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1619D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20261
- Airframe hours
- 2,196
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sandoval, Reginald
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 10, 1993 · 68 hours before
- Airport
- 14A · Lake Norman, runway 14, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 148 total · 138 in this make and model · 51 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLT, 25 nm away
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 N1619D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.