Cessna 172C N1620Y
22 December 1994 · Laurel, Maryland, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 22 December 1994 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 172C registered N1620Y, operated by Claudy, Steven, was involved in an accident near Laurel, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Laurel, Maryland, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.0892, -76.8497
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C
- Registration
- N1620Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Claudy, Steven
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- BFO95LA022
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect water-contaminated fuel.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING THE PREFLIGHT, THE PILOT FOUND THE LEFT WING FUEL CAP OFF. HE STATED HE DRAINED ALL THREE FUEL SUMPS, ROCKED THE WINGS, AND DRAINED THE SUMPS AGAIN. HE STATED THE ENGINE STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM AND HE TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO THE FUEL PUMP AND REFUELED THE AIRPLANE. HE STATED THAT AFTER THE REFUELING HE DRAINED THE FUEL SUMPS AGAIN. DURING THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE AND THEN REGAIN POWER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTED AIRPORT AND WHILE EN ROUTE THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A WOODED AREA SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED WATER IN THE FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENGINE QUIT EACH TIME. AFTER EACH ENGINE FAILURE, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. ONCE THE WATER WAS DEPLETED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM, THE ENGINE RAN WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST FLOWN ABOUT 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID IN THOSE 7 DAYS THERE WAS PRECIPITATION IN THE AREA. THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW FREEZING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 172 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun 1994 | Cessna 172N | Lambertville, Michigan, United States | Davis College | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1994 | Cessna 172N | Chatham, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 1994 | Cessna 172P | Hillsboro, Oregon, United States | Eagle Flight Center, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1994 | Cessna 172B | Shiocton, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 1994 | Cessna 172A | Block Island, Rhode Island, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 May 1994 | Cessna 172M | Lookout Pass, Idaho, United States | St. Maries CAP Aero Club | Serious injuries | - |
All 12,209 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Oakland, Maryland, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1994 | Beechcraft C35 | Rockville, Maryland, United States | William R Canda | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 1994 | Beechcraft B24R | College Park, Maryland, United States | Fort Bragg Flying Activity | Fatal | 4 |
| 28 May 1994 | Cessna A150L | Leonardtown, Maryland, United States | Steven J. Bildman | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 1994 | Beechcraft A36 | Barstow, Maryland, United States | Thompson, William A. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jan 1994 | Robinson R-22A | Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States | Montgomery Aviation | No injuries | - |