NTSB Preliminary Report 'Rebuild Rescue' Cougar Crash

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Theme: "Weightless" Aram Bedrosian

[theoldar]

That's crazy. Testing the fuel for water is one of the first things your instructor teaches you to do.

[cvkline]

I cannot believe that of all the students I've taught, I never thought to just pour some water out of a water bottle into a fuel strainer after taking a sample. That positive visual... here, THIS is what you're looking for, THIS is what you don't want to see... what a valuable teaching aid! I fly with a student on Sunday and even though he's far enough along to be just about ready for his PPL check ride, you can bet I'm taking a minute for that demonstration. Wow, WOW, I am humbled. Thank you so much, Juan!

[jamesmcguire]

In 1992 I was flying pipeline patrol in a Cessna 182 RG for a large pipeline company. I had stopped in Greensboro North Carolina overnight and left the airplane out as there was no room in the hangar. There was a very heavy rain storm that night probably three or 4 inches. Before my flight that next day I started sumping the tanks. This particular year model of Cessna had recessed fuel caps in the top of the wing. To my surprise, it took almost an hour to empty the water out those fuel tanks that day. I had a mechanic come out and verify that I had cleared out all the water. I ran the airplane for a while on the ground to make sure all fuel was out of the lines. I was almost 2 hours late to get to work on the pipeline. but it saved my life that day. My company replaced those recessed fuel tanks within two weeks. All the other patrol planes were changed as well. You just can’t take that kind of thing for granted.

[guitareagle]

I used to work the night shift for a company that had a fleet of piston twins that flew canceled checks for the Federal Reserve. We had our own fuel truck that would fuel up the aircraft during the day that would be dispatched that night. One night a pilot came into the hangar to report that he was having trouble sumping the fuel tank because it kept showing water. I and another mechanic went out to investigate. Sure enough we kept getting water out of the tanks. The fuel caps were good and it hadn't rained. We finally started siphoning right out of the tanks themselves and they were mostly water! We started to panic and stopped all other of our planes from taking off not knowing if some of them were contaminated as well. Come to find out the fuel truck had not been properly checked, there was a large amount of water in the fuel truck and it was a close call that night that no one was killed.

[jackoneil]

Thanks for the good reporting Juan. Having done rescues and rebuilds for many years, I can attest that it often takes months and the thousands of dollars to get such an old and neglected aircraft not just airworthy, but safe and reliable, and during that time you are a test pilot.

Water contamination was a major issue on several used aircraft we purchased, worst was a Cessna 206 on amphibious floats I bought from a guy who had bought it cheap in Alaska and had to dead stick it here in Oregon. We found a lot of water in the strainer water in the bladder wing tanks, after flushing the tanks and cleaning the strainer and running smooth I deemed it ok for a test flight around the patch, but on downwind fuel flow/pressure started fluctuating, the engine ran rough and quit on short final, and I just managed to dead stick it.

Again we found the strainer full of water and again drained the wing tanks flushed the system with alcohol/methanol mix and after about 10mins of circling over the airport at 3500ft, the engine again rand rough and and quit. I was able to keep it running for a bit with Hi-Boost on the fuel pump by forcing fuel past the water in the fuel strainer but at about 1500ft the engine quit completely, and again I dead sicked it in.

My AI found the strainer again full of water and my use of the fuel boost also filled the fuel spider, engine pump screen and injector lines with water as well as drowned the plugs with water.

The AI and two A&P's again flushed the wing tanks and cleaned the fuel system and my AI was so confident that couldn't be any water in the system volunteered to ride right seat. We Circled over the airport, this time at 5, 500ft and after another 15 mins I got my third practice doing a 206 floatplane dead stick on land. Again, we found the strainer and plugs drowned with water.

Just then the late, great Cessna factory mechanic and test pilot (Harold Hayes some of you may recall) walked-up, I told him the story, and Harold asked: "did you drain the belly header tanks?" The trio of mechanics looked puzzled and my AI said: "there ain't no belly drains Harold!" Harold looked under the wing struts and said: "Well that's one that left the factory without the holes for the drains" Harold removed the pilot's seat pulled the carpets and an inspection plate, and with his inspection mirror said: "Well there's your problem, it has no drains, cuz this one didn't put the drain holes in the belly skin".

We hole-sawed a pair of access holes, cut the safety wire on the header tank sump drains, and drained out about 5gals of water. Harold said that a few 206's with the float kit left the factory without the drain holes in the belly and an AD or SB was never issued. For those flying 206s, 207s and 210s, it's important to check the header tanks as well as part of every pre-flight.

WATER COUNTER-MEASURE FOR 206/210s:
On that 206 I and a couple of later 206s / 210's I used in Alaska where water is a problem, I removed the factory strainer-drain pull that was under the oil filler door, ordered an older version interior Cessna strainer drain cable and installed in under the instrument panel, and had my IA do a field 337 for it, so water could be drained out of the strainer in flight if required. I know there was an SB to install remove the in-cabin strainer drain due to the possibility of a corroded cable jamming and leaking fuel in flight but I figure water contamination is a greater risk.

I later bought a 210 once that had set outside for over a year on the northern Californian coast, that a respected AI just completed a ferry permit for. It had those flush fuel caps that the hydraulic pressure of raindrops drive right through, so I asked how much water he drained out. He said "No water the tanks are full" I said" "can't be there has to be water in it" he sumped the main tanks and a light blue liquid came out and he said: "See 100LL, no water" I took a smell and it did smell a bit like old stale 100LL but sloshed like water so I dumped it on the ground and it beaded-up like water.

After draining water for about an hour, the wing tanks contained were not full to the caps, but held only 30gal of fuel, the rest, (about 50gal) was water, that had been setting so long with the fuel, the blue dye from the fuel colored the water a light shade of blue.

Unlike the 206, however, the 210's header tanks were full of fuel, and the engine ran fine, even during run-up, but if I had attempted to depart I would have not got far and ended up in the trees.

[CrazyPetez]

That’s the first time I’ve seen Pete on your channel for quite a long time. He certainly is growing up.

[brianesselbach]

During my multi engine training in Southern Calif., in a 1958 Apache, during pre flight I got at least a half cup of water out of each tank. I drained an extra amount from each tank for good measure. During flight in a right hand turn I noticed fuel siphoning from the cap. (they used old Thermos style plug fuel cap and it had rained two days earlier. We elected to land, fuel checked the tanks again and found more water. Again drained extra amount of fuel after no water found. Proceeded to take off and as I herd two misses I pulled throttles back and parked the airplane. Again finding more water. We realized the tanks have several low spots and each time the aircraft was turned, water would slosh to the drain which was a rib or two over. I received points for emergency procedures that day and learned a very valuable lesson!!! That was 1973.

(That SAME Apache showed up on your video at the Luscombe gathering at Grass Valley a couple years ago. I played that video over ten times to make sure it was the same Apache. It was beautiful and in amazing condition compared to when I flew it.)

[JLange]

I am a 62 year old aviation enthusiast. My brother in law had a Cessna 172 back in the early 70's, and I can remember the entire pre-flight procedure now. Skipping ANY item MAY always be a problem. In this case, this gentleman bet his life on less than 5 minutes of a standard procedure and lost. IF ONLY ONE LIFE IS SAVED BY LEARNING THIS LESSON, THEN IT HAS SERVED A PURPOSE!! RIP.

BTW Juan- your son really is growing up fast, but has a heck of a good teacher in you!

[BlackCreek]

Well said Juan! My son bought a C152 that needed service but waited for parts, sitting outside for more than 2 months during a springtime in Seattle. We got the call that the plane was ready and "airworthy" please come and fly it home. As a CFI I consistently taught that any airplane just out of maintenance required an in depth walkaround. We started to sump the tanks, and then sump some more, and Using the "GATS" jar we took out about 1 1/4 gallons of water out of both tanks and the gascolator. At that point I called a stop; we notified the A&P to drain the tanks and clean the fuel system. When questioned as to how he (A&P) was able to do a run up and the taxi test required he said he had no problem, the engine started and ran OK. "Anyway", he continued, "the flying part was our responsibility". We ordered new gas tank caps and found another A&P to work on that plane.

[eartha]

This reminds me of my dad showing me this so many times. I'm 66 now, and he was actually in his Piper Cub the day I was born. He always had an airplane, from that Cub to Cessna 140, Piper Cherokees, Cessna Cardinal RG, and his last and favorite, an old T-34B with navy trainer markings. When we flew together, whatever the craft, he monitored me checking the gas for water contamination. Such a treasure to see you sharing that with your son. Thanks Juan.

[theonlywoodyshoes]

I hired a PA28 from an FBO in Florida around 20 years ago. I did a fuel drain check on both wing tanks, no obvious contaminants, but something wasn’t quite right on one tank. It was blue coloured and smelled like fuel, but something wasn’t right; even when tipping it onto the hot concrete where it evaporated (pre EPA days).

In a moment of good luck I took 1/2 sample from one wing tank and topped it off from the other - and found two liquids that didn’t mix!

I went back into the FBO with the split sample. They called an engineer who drained a washing up bowl full of water from the contaminated tank. The aircraft had been awaiting a replacement magneto and had sat outside for nearly two months before it had been fitted the day before, and the seal was damaged/worn. The aircraft had been ground run on the uncontaminated tank only.

I didn’t fly that day, and never went back to OBA to rent from them ever again.

If you think your fuel drain test isn’t correct, try mixing samples from different tanks and you may be surprised by the result - I WAS!

[SuperchargedSupercharged]

When I was 15 back in 1986 and I only took fuel from one tank in the tube, my father smacked me across the back of the head so hard it never occurred to me to not check both tanks ever again.

[demef]

Teaching young Pete some of the important safety requirements of aviation will educate a lot of pilots, young and old, experienced and inexperienced. Smart move, Professor Browne!

[rickrickard]

Very first thing I ever learned about flying, was from an old airport out in Utah. A little private field, mostly used for skydivers, called "Alta Airfield".

I was only 10 at the time, and was just there making a nuisance of myself, or so I felt, as I was a gopher for the long-time mechanic & pilot out there. One of his first words of advice he gave me, I've never forgotten. He basically said, "Wanna become human paste really fast? Forget all the basics you've learned, and get yourself in a hurry. In life, many things can become second nature, because they don't have any real consequences attached to them- Flying does. There's no curbs you can pull over to, if you forget your basics. The WILL come back and end you. NEVER skip anything. Even once you feel you got 'em all down pat.".

He was a grouchy old guy, but I always looked up to him. Looking back today, it was for good reason. That advice works for more than just flying, and I've never forgotten it. He was a good man.

[CaptainKidd]

Juan, your demonstration at the end of showing the fuel tester with fuel and water was awesome! I remember seeing pictures in flight school but that isn't something the laymen most likely has seen. Keep up the good work!. As a fellow ATP, your message about aviation not being forgiving of some reality tv build for likes and subs is extremely truthful. I hope people who aren't properly trained and rated take a valuable lesson from this. Airplanes can be and sometimes are, less forgiving than the North Atlantic ocean for mariners.

[coryturner]

Sad to see these senseless accidents week after week. Thanks for giving us the inside scoop and hopefully preventing these types of accidents in the future by building awareness of simple yet fatal mistakes…

[steve]

Hi, Pete, your dad is teaching you well. Not a pilot or in aviation. I am an occupational health and safety professional and your videos speak volumes to the safety world.

[JustFamilyPlaytime]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your content. This one is a useful reminder that if you are in a hurry to fly you are in a hurry to die. Sad loss of a pilot and airframe.

[scottpecora]

In the 1950s, my father started his commercial airline career with West Coast Airline on the DC3. Before moving on to the Fairchild F27, he would amass over 10, 000 hrs. in The DC3, 3000hrs as copilot and the rest as captain. Father would often relate how critical attitude and air speed were, especially if you lost an engine. He often stressed to me that upon loss of an engine, you absolutely must feather the dead engine and level the wings and equally important center the ball. He told of one hot August night, leaving Pasco Washington right at dusk with a full load of passengers heading to Portland Oregon when the left engine blew one of the cylinders punching a hole in the cowling so he could observe the piston flailing about and sparks flying. He said we were about 400ft feet AGL the gear just pulled up flaps at 15 degrees and climbed at about 400 ft/min. Our rate of climb went to zero, and I firewalled both engines. Tried to gain some altitude and any airspeed possible. Told the copilot to declare an emergency as we began a very slow, gradual left turn. Shut down and feathered the left engine after about two minutes. Again, I focused on centering the needle and minimal bank, letting the good engine slowly pull us around. We reached a maximum of 550ft AGL as we lined up, and I lowered the gear once we were descending and had the runway made. The biggest thing back then was airmanship. There was no room or power for mistakes. The margins were so small.

[sasinspectionsllc]

That’s a dam shame, as a former instructor I was a fanatic about checking for water. I used to get complaint from the school I taught at sighting that the plane is refilled so often because of use that it would never have water in it. But things like condensation fuel trucks with water, bad filters on the fuel truck or whatever… spilled gas on a tarmac is cheep insurance.