Cessna 150 N51181

Summary

On 9 August 2000 at about 16:10 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N51181 was involved in an accident near Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were 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

9 August 2000 at 16:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Manfield Municipal (1B9)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N51181

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mansfield → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA223

Nobody was injured.

The mechanic's inadequate annual inspection, which resulted in a departure with fuel contamination. A factor was the pilot-in-command's inadequate preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to the annual inspection, the airplane had not flown for approximately 3 years, and the fuel tanks were left half-full. During the annual inspection, the mechanic checked the main fuel strainer, and did not observe any contamination. After the inspection, the mechanic completely filled the fuel tanks, but the engine would not start. He then drained the tanks and refueled them; however, he did not recheck the main fuel strainer. The pilot-in-command stated that he sumped the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection, and found some water. He kept sumping the tanks until he could not see any water. About 20 minutes after departure, the engine lost all power, and the pilot-in-command performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing in high grass, the airplane struck a ditch and came to rest inverted. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuel was contaminated with water and debris.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.