No fatalities

23 Aug 2008: CESSNA 152 — Ormond Beach Aviation Inc. — Ormond Beach, FL

Ormond Beach, FL, United States

On 23 Aug 2008, a CESSNA 152 operated by Ormond Beach Aviation Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Ormond Beach, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Both pilots' inadequate preflight inspection of the fuel. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A flight instructor and student pilot lost engine power during climb after a touch-and-go, forced landing on a golf course. Preflight sump found water; second flight not sumped. Post-accident discovered water in gascolator and fuel cap stains.

Flight Details

A flight instructor and a student pilot conducted a preflight inspection of a Cessna 152. During the inspection, they found water in the fuel tanks when sumping. They continued draining the fuel until no water was present in samples from the wing tank and gascolator. The subsequent 1-hour instructional flight was uneventful. They returned to the departing airport, landed, and took a short break.

Second Flight and Engine Failure

After the break, the instructor and student pilot returned to the airplane to continue training, planning to stay in the traffic pattern. The fuel system was not sumped before the second flight. During the initial climb after the first touch-and-go, the engine lost all power at an altitude of about 300 feet above ground level. The flight instructor assumed control and opted to land on a golf course fairway adjacent to the airport. The airplane touched down on the fairway, striking trees before coming to a stop.

Post-Accident Examination

During an on-scene examination of the wreckage by FAA inspectors, 6 ounces of water were removed from the gascolator. Additionally, the right fuel tank cap exhibited stains consistent with leaking and possible infiltration into the fuel tank.

Contributing factors

Flight crewInadequate inspection