Accident Overview
On October 18, 2015, at approximately 1912 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, registration N6636A, nosed over in a field following a forced landing near Campobello, South Carolina. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Dusk visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from Fairview Airport (33A) in Landrum, South Carolina, about 1845.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that he was taking his son and a friend on a local sightseeing flight to a nearby lake. During cruise flight, the engine lost all power. Attempts to regain power were unsuccessful. He elected to force land the airplane in a nearby farm field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to a stop. Subsequently, he told an inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that he had taken off with 30 gallons of fuel on board, performed a thorough preflight inspection, and that the fuel was free of contaminants.
Examination Findings
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage at the accident site. The airplane came to rest inverted on a northwesterly heading. The fuel system was inspected after the airplane was positioned upright. The firewall-mounted fuel strainer contained visible water. The cockpit fuel selector handle was found in the "BOTH OFF" position. The left wing was empty of fuel, with evidence of fuel leakage under it. The right wing tank was sumped using a standard six-inch tube-type fuel tester. The first two sump samples yielded only water. On the third attempt, the tester was about three-quarters water and one-quarter fuel. The exact amounts of fuel and water in the right tank were not determined.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot completed a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Form 6120.1 after the accident and reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.