# NTSB NYC06LA028: Cessna 172L, N7684G, Lehighton, PA, November 8, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 8, 2005, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Lehighton, PA - Coordinates: 40.844165, -75.635559 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8442&lon=-75.6356&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-05 - NTSB case key (mKey): 62801 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06LA028 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62801/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06LA028 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination, and a subsequent forced landing to a field. ## 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 - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - contamination,water - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane had not flown for several weeks. The pilot stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and the gascolator during the preflight inspection. The taxi and engine run-up were normal, and the airplane departed on a 2,020-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. About 250 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot turned right to avoid obstacles, and the engine lost all power. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field, but the airspeed decreased, and the rate of descent increased. The airplane's nosegear impacted a down-sloping field. During the impact, the left wing sustained substantial damage from a tree strike, and the airplane came to rest upright in the field. Approximately 4 ounces of fluid was recovered from the carburetor, of which about 3 1/2 ounces was consistent with water, while 1/2 ounce was fuel. ## Factual narrative On November 8, 2005, about 1415 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172L, N7684G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power while departing Beltzville Airport (14N), Lehighton, Pennsylvania. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned flight to Slatington Airport (69N), Slatington, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that the airplane had not flown for several weeks. According to the pilot's written statement, he intended to fly the airplane to a nearby airport and have an annual inspection performed. The pilot further stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and the gascolator during the preflight inspection. In addition, the taxi and engine run-up were normal. The airplane subsequently departed on runway 26, a 2,020-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. About 250 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and lose power. The pilot turned right to avoid obstacles, and the engine lost all power. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field, but the airspeed decreased, and the rate of descent increased. The airplane's nosegear impacted a down-sloping field. During the impact, the left wing sustained substantial damage from a tree strike, and the airplane came to rest upright in the field. The FAA inspector recovered approximately 4 ounces of fluid from the carburetor. About 3 1/2 ounces were consistent with water, while 1/2 ounce was consistent with fuel. The pilot stated that he was unable to locate the aircraft logbooks. In addition, after one verbal and two written requests from a Safety Board investigator, the pilot failed to provide information regarding the date of the airplane's last annual inspection, or the airframe total time at that inspection. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7684G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7684G-2006-04-06), registration cancelled 2006-04-06, S/N 17259384, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172L - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17259384 - Airframe hours: 4557 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Douglas W. Sellix - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 14N, Lehighton, PA - Destination: 69N, Slatington, PA - Airport: 14N, Beltzville Airport, runway 26, 2,020 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 11,060 total, 2,020 in this make and model, 8,520 as pilot in command, 140 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: ABE, 15 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 20051108026669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051108026669A), Nov 8, 2005: Cessna 172L, Beltzville, PA, Substantial damage. (-23) The airman stated he was departing the grass runway 26 at Beltzville, PA. Just after takeoff at approximately 150 feet the engine began to sputter, and… 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.