PORT ALSWORTH, AK, USA
N472GF
PIPER PA-18
AFTER PERFORMING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, AND REACHING APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET AGL DURING THE STEEP CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD BACK ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST WASHED THE AIRPLANE AND STEAMED CLEANED THE ENGINE, AND WAS GOING TO FLY AROUND THE PATTERN A COUPLE TIMES TO DRY THINGS OFF. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S TANKS CONTAINED ABOUT 7 GALLONS OF FUEL. WATER WAS FOUND MIXED WITH THE FUEL IN THE GASCOLATOR.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 21, 1993, at 1500 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA 18 airplane, N472GF, experienced a hard landing following a total loss of engine power just after takeoff at Port Alsworth, Alaska. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured, and the airplane substantially damaged. The personal local flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Port Alsworth at 1450. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation on the day after the accident the pilot stated the following in part: "I had just finished washing the airplane and steam cleaning the engine, and was going to fly the airplane for a few minutes to dry it off. I did a thorough ground run before taking off and everything was fine. I took off and was climbing out on my first touch and go. Everything was still operating fine. When I got to about 250 feet above the ground the engine suddenly quit completely. I was doing a steep climb and my airspeed was only about 45 mph. As soon as the engine quit the airplane stalled. I shoved the control stick forward, but didn't have enough altitude to gain much airspeed before I landed hard back on the runway. Both main landing gear collapsed and the wing struts broke. I don't know for sure but maybe I got some water in the system when I washed the airplane. I didn't drain the tanks to check for water because I'd never had any problems with water. I had flown the airplane for 1.5 hours yesterday and everything seemed fine. I only had about 7 gallons of fuel in the tanks, and was only planning to fly around the pattern a couple times." ADDITIONAL INFORMATION On August 5, 1993, FAA Airworthiness Safety Inspector Ernest A. Keener, FSDO-03, Anchorage, Alaska, examined the wreckage. He stated that at that time the fuel in the airplane's fuel gascolator still contained a significant amount of water. At the time of the accident the airplane was equipped with 30 inch Airstreak Tundra Tires.
FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRSPEED WITH WHICH TO MAKE A NORMAL LANDING FOLLOWING THE ENGINE POWER LOSS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
