Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sidney, Ohio 45365
Friday, February 16, 1996 19:12 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 3000 feet MSL, when the engine began to sputter, then lost power. The pilot stated that he applied carburetor heat, switched fuel tanks, and turned on the fuel boost pumps, but all restart attempts were unsuccessful. He made a forced landing in a rough field, and the airplane was damaged during the landing roll. Postaccident examination revealed evidence of fuel contamination. A brown colored substance was found in the fuel sump drain. The engine was test run using auxiliary fuel and auxiliary electrical power. During the test run, the engine ran smoothly with no indication of a malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel contamination, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in subsequent loss of engine power during cruise flight. A factor relating to the accident was: rough terrain in the emergency landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1912
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SIDNEY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45365
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID DAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 473
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 17 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30422
NTSB Number IAD96LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 177A
Aircraft Series Identifier 177A
Aircraft Serial Number 17701244
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIDNEY FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9303 ST. RT. 29 W.
Aircraft Owner City SIDNEY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45365
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JEFFREY MECKSTROTH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9382 PIQUA-LOCKINGTON ROAD
Operator City PIQUA
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45357
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AOH
Departure City LIMA
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code I12
Destination City
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --