NTSB Factual Report

On September 26, 2017, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N53393, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power after takeoff from Barrow County Airport (WDR), Winder, Georgia. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that the airplane had been parked for an extended period and that he was preparing it for an annual inspection, which was nearly 4 years overdue. On the day before the accident flight, he charged the airplane's battery and ran the engine for about 30 minutes. Before departing on the accident flight, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, measured the level of fuel in each tank, sampled the fuel tanks and fuel strainer for contaminants, and ran the engine for about 5 to 7 minutes with no anomalies noted.

The pilot taxied the airplane for takeoff, performed the before-takeoff checks, and departed from runway 31. When the airplane reached about 200 ft above ground level, the engine "sputtered," then stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field beyond the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued September 25, 2013. The pilot estimated he had 700 total hours of flight experience, 300 hours of which were in the accident airplane make and model.

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1979 and had accrued about 1,875.1 total aircraft hours. A review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed November 6, 2012, at 1,864.4 total aircraft hours.

At 2035, the weather recorded at WDR included clear skies and calm wind. The temperature was 25°C, and the dew point was 20°C. The altimeter setting was 29.96 inches of mercury.

The wreckage was examined at the accident site, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. Both wings were substantially damaged. The left wing fuel tank was breached by impact and contained no fuel. The right tank was intact and contained about 8 gallons of fuel. The gascolator was drained, and the first 4 ounces drained were clear water; the remaining 4 ounces were a mixture of water and fuel.

The carburetor was separated from the engine and was reattached with an adhesive to facilitate an engine operational check. An external fuel tank was then plumbed to the carburetor, and the engine was started on the airframe using the airplane's battery. The engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. A magneto check was performed satisfactorily, and the engine was shut down utilizing the airplane's engine controls.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in undetected water in the fuel system and a total loss of engine power during the initial climb.