Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Inverness Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Inverness, Florida 34450
Saturday, September 11, 2004 9:43 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he measured the fuel in each fuel tank with a marked stick and determined that "7.75 gallons of usable fuel" was onboard. He stated that he checked the fuel from each wing fuel tank sump as well from the fuel strainer drain under the fuselage, and did not detect any water or contaminants. He stated that he performed a satisfactory run-up and a "normal take-off." The pilot stated that at approximately 300 feet above the ground, the engine lost partial power. He stated that he considered turning the airplane back toward the airport, but elected to continue straight and land on the tops of some tall trees. The airplane subsequently fell to the ground.
Examination of the wreckage site revealed that the airplane came to rest nose down on the right wing 1/4 mile beyond and 500 feet to the right of the departure end of runway 1. Examination of the wreckage revealed that that the tops of both wings were buckled and the left wing was displaced aft. The empennage was dented and bent. Post-accident examination of the fuel system revealed that six ounces of water was recovered from the carburetor fuel inlet line. According to the Cessna 152 Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH), the maximum fuel capacity is 26 gallons. It states, "the fuel tanks should be filled after each flight to prevent condensation." The weather reporting station at Ocala, Florida, 22 nautical miles northeast of Inverness, Florida, reported the temperature-dew point spread on September 11, 2004 at 0853 to be 26-24 degrees Celsius and at 0943 to be 28-24 degrees Celsius. The pilot further stated that his airplane had been tied down outside without a cover and had not been flown for over thirty days.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and his failure to detect the presence of water in the fuel system, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent collision with trees and terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/11/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 943 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Inverness |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34450 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 284830N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0821859W |
| Event Location Airport | Inverness |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X40 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 50 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 13 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OCF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 89 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 22 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16654 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 11 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1130 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 3 2004 9:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N35FD |
| NTSB Number | ATL04CA179 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 152 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15283048 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 8333 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George Barber |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8695 East Rosemont Court |
| Aircraft Owner City | Inverness |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34450 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | X40 |
| Departure City | Inverness |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 941 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 4 2004 11:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 1 |
| Runway Length | 3762 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |