Cessna 182P N52785

Summary

On 10 January 1993 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 182P registered N52785, operated by John A Clinton, was involved in an accident near Stow, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 January 1993 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stow, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Minute Man Airfield (6B6)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 182P

Registration

N52785

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John A Clinton

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO93FA018

1 person died.

AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH ALLOWED WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST REFUELED AT MINUTE MAN AIRPORT IN NOVEMBER. ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT RECORDS, THE AIRPLANE WAS INACTIVE FOR TWO MONTHS. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE PREFLIGHT; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS VIEWED BY TWO OTHER PILOTS TO DEPART FROM RUNWAY 3. AT ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SOUNDS WERE INTERMITTENT. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING THE CLIMB, BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT EXHAUST. A SECOND WITNESS, WHO SAW THE CRASH, STATED THAT THE PILOT TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, BUT THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF THE FUEL CONTENTS OF THE FUEL CONTROL VALVE WAS WATER. BOTH FUEL CAPS WERE SECURED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE TANKS, AND WHEN SPRAYED WITH WATER, NO LEAKAGE PAST THE CAPS INTO THE TANKS WAS NOTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.