Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kissimee Gateway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kissimmee, Florida 34741
Sunday, October 12, 2008 10:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
An annual inspection was completed 2 days prior to the accident. Later that evening, the airplane was fueled with 32 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation gasoline. After the refueling a maintenance technician drained a "significant amount" of water from the tanks and the fuel strainer. The next day, the technician informed the pilot about the water he found in the fuel. The pilot sampled fuel from each of the two fuel tank sump drains, but did not observe any water in the samples. He also drained fuel from the fuel strainer, but he did not capture that fuel. The pilot then conducted several takeoffs and landings over a period of about 1/2 hour, and the airplane "ran fine." He parked the airplane, left the airport, and returned the next day for a cross-country flight. During the preflight, the pilot conducted a similar fuel sampling routine, and did not observe any water in the fuel. With the fuel selector valve set to both tanks, the airplane began its takeoff roll and experienced a total loss of engine power during initial climb. The airplane struck a sports goal post during the forced landing on an athletic field that was located approximately 1/4 mile beyond the runway end. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed several ounces of water in the carburetor, the fuel strainer, and the right fuel tank. After the accident, the pilot told investigators that he "typically" obtained "some water," which he quantified as approximately 1 inch of water in the 3/4 inch-diameter sample container, when he sampled the left fuel tank. The left fuel tank cap was found to have a loose fit, and a 0.028 inch feeler gauge was able to be inserted between the cap gasket and its seat. The airplane had not been flown during the 10 months preceding the day prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident was a fuel tank cap that did not seal properly.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/12/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1050 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Kissimmee |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34741 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 281723N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812613W |
| Event Location Airport | Kissimee Gateway Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ISM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 80 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1050 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 82 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26925 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2010 11:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N734BL |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA015 |
| 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 | 172 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | N |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17268725 |
| 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 | Oct 10 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1458 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Patrick J. Trescott |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Everett |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98203 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Patrick J. Trescott |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Everett |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98203 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | ISM |
| Departure City | Kissimmee |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1050 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Huntsville |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2010 11:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 06 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |