- Date
- March 7, 2018, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- England, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1889YCessna 172
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180307001569A
- Case key
- 96859
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 detect water in the fuel system during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during departure and a subsequent impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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
The student pilot reported that, during the preflight, he and the pilot-rated passenger, who was not a flight instructor, inspected the fuel sumps on each wing and the engine, "pulling [a] sample on each." He added that, during departure from the airstrip, after they became airborne for about 9 seconds, the engine rpm dropped to idle. The propeller was still rotating, but the airplane's engine was not producing power. Subsequently, the airplane landed in a cotton field, the nose landing gear sheared off, and the airplane came to rest nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and fuselage. The student pilot reported that the airplane had gone through a pre-purchase inspection the previous week, and the airplane had accrued little time since the annual, which was 7 months before the accident flight. He added that it seemed like the airplane was starved for fuel. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported finding substantial water in the gascolator.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that, during the preflight, he and the non-CFI pilot rated passenger inspected the fuel sumps on each wing and the engine, "pulling [a] sample on each". He added that, during departure from the airstrip, after they became airborne for approximately 9 seconds, the engine "failed dropping rpm to an idle". He added that the propeller was still rotating, but the airplane's engine was not producing power. Subsequently, the airplane landed in a cotton field, the nose landing gear sheared off, and the airplane came to rest nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and fuselage. The student pilot reported that the airplane had gone through a pre-purchase inspection the previous week and the airplane had accrued little time since the annual, which was 7 months prior to the accident flight. He added that it seemed like the airplane was starved for fuel. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported finding substantial water in the gascolator.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1889Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17249489
- Built
- 1962
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 2017
- Departed
- England, AR
- Destination
- England, AR
- Equipment
- None
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 50 in this make and model · 48 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 26, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 957 total · 107 in this make and model · 957 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGT, 16 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.