Accident
On October 8, 2013, at approximately 1030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170, registration N4216V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Ridgely Airpark (RJD) in Ridgely, Maryland. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was a local personal flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, the airplane had not been flown for about eight months before the accident. On the morning of the flight, the pilot added 100-low-lead aviation gasoline to the fuel tanks, which also contained automotive gasoline added six to eight months earlier, bringing the total fuel to 18 gallons. During the preflight inspection, the pilot noted water in the fuel while sumping the tanks. However, fuel samples taken just before the flight showed no contamination. The pilot reported finding water in the fuel system the day before the accident but had addressed it.
The flight departed without incident. The pilot intended to practice landings at the airport. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 30, a 3,214-foot-long asphalt runway, the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine or reach the runway. He performed a forced landing to a soybean field. During the landing, the airplane struck a ditch, causing substantial damage to the fuselage.
Aircraft and Pilot
The four-seat, high-wing, conventional-gear Cessna 170 was manufactured in 1948. It was equipped with a Continental Motors C145-2 engine rated at 145 horsepower. The pilot reported 3,660 hours of total flight experience, including about 1,220 hours in single-engine airplanes and 44 hours in the same make and model as the accident aircraft.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination by an FAA inspector took place on November 26, 2013, after the engine and wings had been removed. The inspector could not examine the fuel system. The engine itself showed no evidence of catastrophic malfunction. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed in January 2011, and it had accumulated about 6 flight hours since then. Total engine time was 3,223 hours since new and 434 hours since overhaul.
Weather Conditions
Weather observations taken at 1053 from an airport about 15 miles northeast of the accident site reported wind from 30 degrees at variable speeds, temperature 17°C, dew point 9°C. An FAA carburetor icing chart placed these conditions in the "serious icing (glide power)" area.