Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Virginia Beach, Virginia 23454
Saturday, September 4, 2010 13:36 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On the morning of the accident, an annual inspection had been completed on the airplane. After picking up the airplane from his maintenance provider, the pilot preflighted the airplane and then departed. The takeoff and climb were uneventful; however, during the cruise portion of the flight, a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and landed the airplane in a field that was used for sporting events. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear wheel dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the fuel system revealed the presence of water in the fuel selector valve and the electric fuel boost pump discharge line. The pilot advised that the last time that he had added fuel to the airplane was 16 days before the accident flight. When he would park the airplane in the hangar at his home airport, he would not top off the fuel tanks, and the airplane would sit with approximately 30 gallons of fuel in the tanks. When asked if he had drained the sumps of the airplane during the preflight inspection prior to the accident flight, he advised that he did not because he was in a hurry.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of power due to water contamination in the fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1336
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Virginia Beach
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23454
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365233N
Event Location Longitude 0760141W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID NTU
Elevation of weather observation facility 23
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.79
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) 29346
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2012 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record gagc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N812KT
NTSB Number ERA10LA466
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18266016
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Sep 4 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1034
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard A. Schneider
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ellicott City
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21042
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Richard A. Schneider
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ellicott City
Operator State MD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 21042
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 FDK
Departure City Fredrick
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1201
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MQI
Destination City Manteo
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 2 2011 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --