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Showing results for tags 'o69'.
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Recall this thread back from April 2018, when IFR pilot took off from Petaluma, CA in IFR conditions and came down a mile from the airport. We now have the NTSB factual report out here https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20180407X35303&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=FA Although the pilot made some mistakes, including telling ATC he was going to depart RWY 29, but was holding at RWY 11 and then departed RWY 11 after getting his release and void time. Pilot didn't fly the ODP and instead climbed to about 300' before turning left and climbing into the fog (per witness). But apparently what brought the plane down was water in the fuel, not CFIT and the plane came down at a very steep angle burying the engine in 3' of mud. Investigators found approx a 50-50 mixture of water and fuel in the fuel divider. They also provided a picture of the left fuel cap showing cracking in the outer o-ring. No mention was made of the inner o-rings but did mention the right cap was thermally damaged (post crash fire). More about the water from the report: "Another witness reported that the accident airplane landed at O69 around 1645 the day before the accident and taxied to the fuel island. He stated that he helped the pilot obtain fuel, observed him sump the airplane's fuel tanks after refueling, and instructed him where to park for the evening. He stated that the accident pilot queried a FedEx pilot on the appropriate instrument departure procedure for runway 29...." So we know the pilot was observed sumping the tanks after refueling the day before departure, but we don't really know if he sumped the tanks again before departure after the plane had been out in the rain. But if he had, he probably would have found the water in the fuel since it brought the plane down very quickly after departure. However, the NTSB doesn't assign a cause to the accident - its only a "Factual" report. There is no greater risk of water in the fuel than after our plane has been sitting on the ramp in the rain.