Beltzville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lehighton, Pennsylvania 18235
Tuesady, November 8, 2005 14:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane had not flown for several weeks. The pilot stated that he sumped both fuel tanks and the gascolator during the preflight inspection. The taxi and engine run-up were normal, and the airplane departed on a 2,020-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. About 250 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot turned right to avoid obstacles, and the engine lost all power. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field, but the airspeed decreased, and the rate of descent increased. The airplane's nosegear impacted a down-sloping field. During the impact, the left wing sustained substantial damage from a tree strike, and the airplane came to rest upright in the field. Approximately 4 ounces of fluid was recovered from the carburetor, of which about 3 1/2 ounces was consistent with water, while 1/2 ounce was fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination, and a subsequent forced landing to a field.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Lehighton
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18235
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 405039N
Event Location Longitude 0753808W
Event Location Airport Beltzville Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 14N
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 899
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ABE
Elevation of weather observation facility 394
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20528
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Nov 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2006 8:45AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allentown, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7684G
NTSB Number NYC06LA028
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 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17259384
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 4557
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Douglas W. Sellix
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Lehighton
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18235
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 14N
Departure City Lehighton
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 69N
Destination City Slatington
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2006 5:25PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 2020
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --