Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA153
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, April 12, 2017 in La Porte, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/14/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 152, registration: N95551
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The commercial pilot was conducting a postmaintenance test flight. He reported that no evidence of water was found in samples from the main fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. He added that, during approach to the runway, the engine lost power. He attempted to restore power but was unsuccessful. There was no remaining runway in front of him, so he turned the airplane to avoid a ditch and landed on the soft ground. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and firewall.
During postaccident examination of the airplane, water was found in the fuel lines, engine fuel bowl, and carburetor. An examination of the engine and fuel systems revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the loss of engine power resulted from water contamination of the fuel system.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination, which resulted from the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that did not detect water contamination.
On April 12, 2017, about 1115 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N95551, was substantially damaged when it nosed over following a forced landing at the La Porte Municipal Airport (T41), La Porte, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The post-maintenance test flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight departed about 1150.
According to the written statement submitted by the pilot, during a low approach to the runway, "there was a noticeable lag in the response of the engine " and the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restore power but was unsuccessful. There was no remaining runway so the pilot turned the airplane to avoid a ditch. During the landing the airplane encountered soft ground and the nose wheel dug into the ground. The airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and firewall.
The airframe and engine examination revealed water contamination in the engine's fuel lines, fuel bowl, and carburetor. No water contamination was noted in either of the fuel tanks. An examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
The pilot wrote that the preflight inspection did not show any evidence of water when samples from the main fuel tanks were taken. During the preflight run-up the engine ran without hesitation or sputtering.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, April 12, 2017 in La Porte, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 152, registration: N95551
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On April 12, 2017, about 1215 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N95551, was substantially damaged when it nosed over following a forced landing at the La Porte Municipal Airport (T41), La Porte, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight test flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The local flight departed about 1150.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who took the notification, during a low approach to runway 23, the engine lost power. The airplane landed on the remaining runway, however, the pilot was unable to stop the airplane and the airplane overran the runway. The airplane encountered soft ground and the nose wheel dug into the ground. The airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and firewall.
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