Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Orange Beach, Alabama 36561
Monday, July 4, 2011 14:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane had been modified by several Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) allowing the use of 91 minimum octane alcohol-free fuel, or a combination of 100LL and 91 minimum octane ethanol-free fuel. After takeoff while operating the engine on a mixture of 100LL and 87 octane automotive fuels with 10 percent ethanol additive, the engine experienced abnormal combustion in the No. 3 cylinder, which burned a hole through the cylinder near the lower spark plug hole. The resulting loss of engine power necessitated a forced landing in water. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies with the power train, ignition, lubrication, or air induction systems that would have led to the event. Metallurgical examination of the No. 3 cylinder revealed no manufacturing defects that would have damaged to the cylinder. No placards were noted by either fuel cap; these were required by the installed STCs specifying minimum octane rating of 91 without alcohol; however, on the day of the accident, the airplane underwent a 100-hour inspection by the pilot-in-command who held a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings and inspection authorization; he had also performed the modification allowing the airplane to use automotive fuel. Although no fuel samples were retained for testing, the damage to the cylinder was consistent with the usage of unapproved fuel with too low an octane rating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The operation of the airplane using unapproved fuels, which resulted in abnormal combustion and subsequent damage to the No. 3 cylinder. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate 100-hour inspection because the mechanic failed to note the lack of placards by either fuel filler cap specifying the minimum automotive fuel grade and no alcohol allowed as specified by the installed STC’s.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/4/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Orange Beach |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36561 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 301708N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0873209W |
| 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 | 1435 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 272 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JKA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 17 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30791 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Birmingham FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 25 2013 11:29AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N109DP |
| NTSB Number | ERA11LA388 |
| 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 | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17270607 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 4 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 2927 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GULF COAST AERIAL ADVERTISING INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | GULF SHORES |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 36542-2613 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | GULF COAST AERIAL ADVERTISING INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | GULF SHORES |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 36542-2613 |
| 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) | Banner Tow |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 0AL1 |
| Departure City | Foley |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 0AL1 |
| Destination City | Foley |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 25 2013 11:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| 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 | -- |