Piper PA-18 N7168K

Summary

On 17 July 1996 at about 22:45 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N7168K was involved in an accident near Gatesville, North Carolina, 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

17 July 1996 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Gatesville, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

36.4003, -76.7494

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N7168K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL96LA108

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in engine stoppage due to water contamination in the fuel system. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff from a canal in a float plane, while cruising about 500 feet above a swamp, the engine quit. The airplane was force landed in the swamp. Following the accident, the pilot examined the engine and found water in the gascolator and the fuel line between the gascolator and the carburetor. He also reported that the airplane was equipped with long range fuel tanks that had flush fitting fuel filler caps. Previously, he had had problems with water in the fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.