Cessna 182P N1595M

Summary

On 15 December 2003 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna 182P registered N1595M was involved in an accident near Watsonville, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 December 2003 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Watsonville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Watsonville (KWVI)

Coordinates

36.9378, -121.7831

Aircraft

Cessna 182P

Registration

N1595M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Watsonville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04FA068

2 people had minor injuries.

a loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. A contributing factor was the pilot/owner's failure to comply with the appropriate Airworthiness Directive.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane lost engine power shortly after takeoff and collided with the ground as the pilot was attempting a return to runway maneuver. The pilot said that the engine was running a little rough on the first run up but it smoothed out on the second run up. He performed a normal takeoff and climb. The engine was running smooth then quit suddenly between 200 and 300 feet above ground level (agl). Because there were houses directly beyond the end of the runway he entered an immediate left descending 90-degree turn and leveled the wings before impacting the ground. Post accident fluid samples were taken and water was found in the right main fuel tank, gascolator, and carburetor bowl. The fuel filler cap o-rings were hardened and cracked, and the fuel tank filler ports showed rust stains around the interior perimeter of the port with rust corrosion on the interior filler flanges. The airplane had been delivered to the airport by the pilot in July for its annual inspection, and to be placed for sale. The airplane remained tied down outside without significant flight activity until the accident flight. Airworthiness Directive (AD) 83-12-01 was last complied with in July 2002. AD 83-12-01 dictates that a placard stating "CAUTION Leaking fuel caps can cause loss of fuel and erroneously high fuel quantity indications" be placed adjacent to the fuel quantity gauges. Additionally, it indicates that the fuel caps, seals, and filler ports should be inspected for indications of improper sealing or leaking. Examination of the cockpit revealed no such placards were present, adjacent to the fuel quantity gauges, as required by AD-83-12-01.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.