Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Allen, Louisiana 70767
Monday, November 20, 1989 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING USED FOR PIPELINE PATROL. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH TWICE AND TWICE THE COMMERCIAL PILOT MADE OFF AIRPORT LANDINGS TO DRAIN THE SUMPS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. SHORTLY AFTER THE NEXT TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH SUGAR-CANE FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR THREE YEARS. THE MAINENANCE PERSONNEL THAT RETURNED THE AIRPLANE TO SERVICE, STATED THEY HAD USED THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL TO REMOVE THE AIRPLANE FROM STORAGE, AND BACK TO SERVICE. INVESTIGATION INDICATED ALL PARTS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WERE COVERED WITH A RUST COLORED, VARNISH LIKE SUBSTANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/SERVICE OF THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PORT ALLEN
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70767
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1300
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39596
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13055
NTSB Number FTW90LA029
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17262462
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR SCAN, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 227
Aircraft Owner City GREENWELL SPRGS
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70739
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRSCAN AERIAL SURVEILLANCE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 227
Operator City GREENWELL SPRIN
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70739
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1429
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City GONZALES
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --