Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Biddeford Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Biddeford, Maine 04005
Friday, June 15, 2012 18:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot/owner and his instructor, the preflight inspection and the engine start, taxi, and takeoff checks were all completed in accordance with the checklists with no anomalies noted. The pilot/owner reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane seemed to “take forever” to reach takeoff speed and that it used “the whole runway.” When the airplane reached about 1,000 feet mean sea level, the engine stopped producing power, and the instructor took control of the airplane. He turned the airplane back toward the departure airport and performed remedial actions to regain engine power but was unsuccessful. When he determined the airplane would not reach the airport, he performed a forced landing to wooded terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Both pilots egressed without assistance. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the fuel system found it intact. Removal of the fuel pump caused water to spill from the pump. The pump was actuated by hand, and water was ejected from the pump. The carburetor float bowl contained a “50-50” mixture of water and fuel. The water in the fuel system, which should have been detected during a preflight inspection, led to the loss of engine power during takeoff.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/owner’s inadequate preflight inspection.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/15/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Biddeford |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04005 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 432515N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0703019W |
| Event Location Airport | Biddeford Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | B19 |
| 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 | 157 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1815 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSFM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 244 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.28 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KSFM 152215Z 13005KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A3028 RMK AO1 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31589 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ANE ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2013 11:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coln |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3812V |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA397 |
| 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 | 170 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18670 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| 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 | May 8 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3969 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HART WILLIAM C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lyman |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04002 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HART WILLIAM C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lyman |
| Operator State | ME |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 04002 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | B19 |
| Departure City | Biddeford |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1810 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SFM |
| Destination City | Sanford |
| Destination State | ME |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 11 2013 9:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |