Cessna 170 accident near Panama City, Florida, July 11, 2012
On July 11, 2012 at about 3:53 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N2561V, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Panama City, Florida (Sandy Creek Airpark airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, the pilot/owner's inadequate preflight inspection of his airplane, and his failure to maintain airplane control after the engine failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2012 · about 3:53 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Sandy Creek Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2561V · no longer on the register · serial 18066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was parked outdoors for an extended period of time. The pilot/owner spent 2 days alternately draining water-contaminated fuel and test running the airplane’s engine several times. The pilot stated that he drained one fuel tank completely because the fuel appeared to be “milky” and serviced that tank with 10 gallons of fuel, but he later amended his statement and said he drained both tanks completely before he serviced them with "a combination of Jerry cans and a friend's pickup-mounted fuel tank." He then departed. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power immediately after takeoff. The pilot attempted to return to the airport but landed in a retention pond short of the runway. The pilot reported that he performed a “shallow” turn to return to the airport, but a witness described “an abrupt/steep left-hand turn” followed by a ''stall" and descent to water contact. No preimpact mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident, the engine was placed in a test cell where it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. The manufacturer and the FAA have published letters, bulletins, and advisories that provided guidance to prevent accidents due to water contamination of the fuel system. It is likely that the pilot did not drain all the water-contaminated fuel from the airplane before departure, which led to the loss of engine power after takeoff.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (descent)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Engine out control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 2,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,541 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 2011; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 75FL Panama City FL
- Destination: Andalusia AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KPAM, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.