# NTSB GAA18CA160: Cessna 172, N1889Y, England, AR, March 7, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 7, 2018, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: England, AR - Coordinates: 34.486667, -91.865554 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4867&lon=-91.8656&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 5, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 96859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA160 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96859/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96859 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA160 ## 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 NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072408), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1889Y-2019-05-06), registration cancelled 2019-05-06, S/N 17249489, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (C) - Registry model: [Cessna 172C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172c) (registry code 2072408) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17249489 - Year built: 1962 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 49; injuries: none; 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 - Pilot-rated passenger; age 63; injuries: none; 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 ## 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 20180307001569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180307001569A), Mar 7, 2018: Cessna 172C, England, AR, Substantial damage. On March 7, 2018 at 1700 CST, a Cessna CE-172C, N1889Y, registered to [privacy data omitted]., had an engine failure during the takeoff and climbout phase of… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96859. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 824 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463210&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Pictures (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 205 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463211&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Pictures-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Email (item 3, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463212&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Email-Master.PDF 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.