# NTSB BFO93LA159: Cessna 206, N2147F, Inlet, NY, September 5, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 5, 1993, 16:35 local (20:35 UTC) - Place: Inlet, NY - Coordinates: 43.719364, -74.729209 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7194&lon=-74.7292&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 8807 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93LA159 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8807/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93LA159 ## Probable cause the blocked header tank fuel port which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor to the accident were the high obstructions in the emergency landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system,reservoir/header tank - blocked(total) (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - terrain condition - high obstruction(s) (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis DURING CLIMB-OUT FROM A LAKE, ABOUT 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE TERRAIN COVERED WITH 'HIGH' TREES, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT MANUEVERED THE AIRPLANE TO ANOTHER LAKE NEARBY AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A PIECE OF RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL IN THE FUEL HEADER TANK. THE ORIGIN OF THE MATERIAL WAS NOT DETERMINED. DURING THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, THE MATERIAL WAS MANIPULATED INSIDE THE FUEL HEADER TANK TO COVER THE FUEL PORT WHICH LEADS TO THE FUEL PUMP. THE MATERIAL COVERED THE FUEL PORT CAUSING FUEL FLOW TO THE FUEL PUMP TO BE BLOCKED. ## Factual narrative On Sunday, September 5, 1993, at 1635 eastern daylight time, an amphibian Cessna 206, N2147F, owned, operated, and piloted by Edward Stafford of Old Forge, New York, lost total engine power during climb-out from Seventh Lake in Inlet, New York. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to a nearby lake and made an emergency landing. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, at about 300 to 400 feet above terrain covered with "high" trees, the airplane's engine lost total power. The pilot stated that after the engine lost power, "A sharp right turn followed by a sharp left turn was made to line up with 6th Lake. Aircraft landed in Sixth Lake in the water about 200 ft from shore. The aircraft sustained substantial damage but did not sink...." Post accident examination of the engine and fuel system was accomplished by Mr. J. Payne, owner of Payne's Air Service located in Inlet, New York. Mr. Payne stated, "I found a flat piece of material in the fuel header tank which looked like material from the interior of a wing fuel bladder tank. The piece was about 3/8 of an inch wide and 3/4 of an inch long." Mr. Payne stated that he was able to manipulate the material inside the header tank to cover the fuel port which leads to the fuel pump. He said when the material covered the fuel port, fuel flow to the fuel pump was blocked. Mr. Payne noted that the airplane's wing bladder fuel tanks and their fuel screens were intact. He stated that the piece of material found in the fuel header tank was too big to have been able to pass through the wing bladder fuel tank screens. The origin of the material found in the fuel header tank was not determined. During the post accident examination of the airplane, it was noted that the airplane's original wing bladder fuel tanks were no longer installed. Mr. Payne stated that he remembered the airplane's fuel bladder tanks being removed and replaced sometime prior to this accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2147F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2147F-2013-07-11), registration cancelled 2013-07-11, S/N U206-0347, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 206 - Registry model: [Cessna U206](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206) (registry code 2073306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U206-0347 - Airframe hours: 3005 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Lls Inc. - Registered owner: Lls Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 1993, 28 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 29,500 total, 165 in this make and model, 25,000 as pilot in command, 6,555 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 7 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: RME, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930905041809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930905041809A), Sep 5, 1993: Cessna U206, Inlet, NY, Substantial damage. Engine quit on climbout from water takeoff. Was able to stall mush into another lake. Foreign item in fuel tank. ## Other investigations on N2147F (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC82DA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC82DA140), Jul 5, 1982: Cessna U206 (N2147F), Nelson, NH, destroyed From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.