Cessna 182J N3035F

Summary

On 7 March 1993 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 182J registered N3035F, operated by Para Power Inc., was involved in an accident near Putnam, Connecticut, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 March 1993 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Putnam, Connecticut, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 182J

Registration

N3035F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Para Power Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO93LA044

1 person was seriously injured.

INADEQUATE COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE AIR WORTHINESS DIRECTIVES, LEAKY FUEL CAP SEAL, WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, AND WRINKLES IN THE FUEL TANK BLADDERS THAT INTERFERED WITH THE ABILITY TO DRAIN WATER FROM THE TANKS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 FT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE CLIPPED SOME TREES, TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD, AND SLID UNTIL IT IMPACTED A ROW OF TREES. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED ABOUT ONE QUART OF WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECKS REVEALED CORROSION. THE RIGHT TANK FUEL FILLER NECK ALSO HAD PITTING. WHEN TESTED, THE RIGHT FUEL CAP AND SEAL AREA ALLOWED LEAKAGE OF AN UNDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK BLADDERS REVEALED WRINKLES. THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT AD 84-10-01 AND AD 83-13-01, REGARDING INSPECTION OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND SEAL AREA AND THE FUEL TANKS, WERE NOT PERFORMED DURING THE LAST INSPECTION. THE AIRPLANE WAS KEPT OUTSIDE AND IT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. SNOW HAD FALLEN ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PILOT SAID HE DID A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT, WHICH INCLUDED DRAINING THE FUEL TANKS AND CHECKING FOR CONTAMINATION, BUT NO CONTAMINATION WAS EVIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.