Cessna 170 N3812V

Summary

On 15 June 2012 at about 22:15 local time, a Cessna 170 registered N3812V, operated by Hart William C, was involved in an accident near Biddeford, Maine, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

15 June 2012 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Biddeford, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Biddeford Municipal Airport (B19)

Coordinates

43.4208, -70.5053

Aircraft

Cessna 170

Registration

N3812V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hart William C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Biddeford → Sanford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA397

2 people had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/owner’s inadequate preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot/owner and his instructor, the preflight inspection and the engine start, taxi, and takeoff checks were all completed in accordance with the checklists with no anomalies noted. The pilot/owner reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane seemed to “take forever” to reach takeoff speed and that it used “the whole runway.” When the airplane reached about 1,000 feet mean sea level, the engine stopped producing power, and the instructor took control of the airplane. He turned the airplane back toward the departure airport and performed remedial actions to regain engine power but was unsuccessful. When he determined the airplane would not reach the airport, he performed a forced landing to wooded terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Both pilots egressed without assistance. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the fuel system found it intact. Removal of the fuel pump caused water to spill from the pump. The pump was actuated by hand, and water was ejected from the pump. The carburetor float bowl contained a “50-50” mixture of water and fuel. The water in the fuel system, which should have been detected during a preflight inspection, led to the loss of engine power during takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.