Cessna 172 N13055

Summary

On 20 November 1989 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N13055, operated by Airscan Aerial Surveillance, was involved in an accident near Port Allen, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 November 1989 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Allen, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

30.4492, -91.1994

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N13055

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Airscan Aerial Surveillance

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Gonzales

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90LA029

Nobody was injured.

FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/SERVICE OF THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING USED FOR PIPELINE PATROL. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH TWICE AND TWICE THE COMMERCIAL PILOT MADE OFF AIRPORT LANDINGS TO DRAIN THE SUMPS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. SHORTLY AFTER THE NEXT TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH SUGAR-CANE FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR THREE YEARS. THE MAINENANCE PERSONNEL THAT RETURNED THE AIRPLANE TO SERVICE, STATED THEY HAD USED THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL TO REMOVE THE AIRPLANE FROM STORAGE, AND BACK TO SERVICE. INVESTIGATION INDICATED ALL PARTS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WERE COVERED WITH A RUST COLORED, VARNISH LIKE SUBSTANCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.