Cessna 182P N1578M

Summary

On 10 June 1999 at about 13:25 local time, a Cessna 182P registered N1578M, operated by Valerie E. Eikenberg, was involved in an accident near Lantana, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 June 1999 at 13:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Lantana, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Palm Beach County Park (LNA)

Coordinates

26.5797, -80.0704

Aircraft

Cessna 182P

Registration

N1578M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Valerie E. Eikenberg

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99LA171

1 person had minor injuries.

The poor in-flight planning by the pilot during the approach for a precautionary landing following a power interruption during the downwind leg, resulting in a go-around. A Contributing factor to the accident was the total loss of engine power during the go-around due to water contamination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that when checking the left wing fuel tank during preflight, she noted water. After obtaining a second sample, '...the fuel ran clear and I was satisfied that it had been eliminated.' She performed an engine run-up before takeoff with no discrepancies noted. The flight departed and while on the downwind leg, the engine sputtered. She turned base then onto short final and with the flaps fully extended, she did not want to land long and applied full power to go-around; the engine responded. She initiated a climb retracting the flaps in increments and when about 300 feet above ground level, the engine quit. She initiated a descent for a forced landing to an open field and after recognizing that she was unable to land there, continued to descend colliding with a power line, a house and the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the gascolator and carburetor contained water; approximately 110 milliliters of water was drained from the carburetor bowl. Additionally, both wing fuel cap seals were noted to be serviceable. Testing of the water drained from the carburetor revealed it to contain free chlorine and sodium chloride.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.