Cessna 172 N70RS

Summary

On 23 June 1989 at about 22:15 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N70RS, operated by LEE, Charles D., was involved in an accident near Centreville, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 June 1989 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Centreville, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

32.9504, -87.1293

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N70RS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

LEE, Charles D.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Centreville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89LA168

Nobody was injured.

THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL REMAINING WATER FROM THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM DURING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH LED TO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE HE WAS PERFORMING TURNS. A FORCED LDG WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT DIRT DURING THE LDG AND NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT ATTRIBUTED THE PWR LOSS TO WATER IN THE FUEL. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD DRAINED ABOUT 1 PINT OF WATER FROM ONE OF THE TANKS DURING PRE-FLT INSPECTION, AND THAT HE ROCKED THE WINGS AND LOWERED THE TAIL DURING THE INSPECTION IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ALL REMAINING WATER. THE STUDENT NOTED THAT A LOT OF RAIN HAD FALLEN OVER THE PRECEDING 2 WEEKS, AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE WITH LESS-THAN-FULL TANKS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. A MECHANIC WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE MISHAP REPORTED THAT HE FOUND WATER IN THE CARBURETOR. THE FUEL TANK FILLER-CAP GASKETS WERE INTACT AND PLIABLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.