VILLA RICA, GA, USA
N7677T
CESSNA 172A
AS THE PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE DURING A GO AROUND ATTEMPT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND NOSED OVER. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A WASP HAD BUILT A MUD NEST ON THE LEFT WING IN THE AREA OF THE FUEL TANK VENT OPENING. THE VENT LINE WAS FOUND TO BE OBSTRUCTED BY DIRT. ALSO, THE RIGHT FUEL TANK FILLER CAP WOULD NOT VENT PROPERLY WHEN TESTED. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE, INITIATED BY THE COMBINATION OF A BLOCKED FUEL TANK VENT LINE AND A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL FILLER CAP. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, IN THAT HE DID NOT DETECT THE FUEL VENT LINE BLOCKAGE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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