- Date
- December 28, 2005, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, NH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2869UCessna 180H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20051228030699A
- Case key
- 63007
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 inadequate pre-flight inspection, which resulted in water-contaminated fuel in the engine and subsequent engine failure.
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
The pilot reported that he did not sump the fuel tanks during the airplane's preflight inspection, thinking that because the outside temperature had remained below freezing, any water would have been in the form of ice. Shortly after takeoff, about 100 feet, the engine lost power, and the airplane struck trees about 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. The pilot further stated that he thought the cause of the accident was water in the fuel, and that draining the sumps would have prevented the power loss. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed water in the gascolator.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he did not sump the fuel tanks during the airplane's preflight inspection, thinking that because the outside temperature had remained below freezing, any water would have been in the form of ice. Shortly after takeoff, about 100 feet, the engine lost power, and the airplane struck trees about 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. The pilot further stated that he thought the cause of the accident was water in the fuel, and that draining the sumps would have prevented the power loss. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed water in the gascolator.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2869U
- Reported as
- Cessna 180H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 180-52216
- Engine
- Continental O-470, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael J. Farrey
- Registered owner
- Isabelle Davis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NH76 · Greenville, NH
- Destination
- NH16 · Brookline, NH
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 24,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.