Cessna 152 accident near Troy, Alabama, July 17, 1996
On July 17, 1996 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6481L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Alabama (Troy Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel contamination, which resulted in loss of engine power, a forced landing, and impact with trees. A factor relating to the accident was: inadequate maintenance and/or inspection after the previous loss of engine power and forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1996 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Alabama · Troy Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6481L · no longer on the register · serial 15284412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had been grounded the day before the accident after loss of engine power during takeoff, followed by a successful forced landing on the runway. The airplane had been refueled at the FBO just before the engine lost power. Two mechanics, examined the airplane. The airplane was checked okay, test flown, and remained at the airport overnight. The next day, a pilot arrived to return the airplane to Eglin Air Force Base. The pilot took fuel samples from the main sump, and 'found approximately 2' of water and sediment in the bottom of the sample.' He drained the right tank and stated that he 'found approximately 1' of water and sediment and 1/4' fuel....' He took several more fuel samples, and 'found the fuel to be all clean.' The pilot decided to fly in the traffic pattern before departing for Florida, to test the airplane. He performed an engine run up and found everything 'normal.' He flew twice around the airport traffic pattern, and was on takeoff at an altitude of about 200 to 300 feet above the ground (AGL), when the engine lost complete power. The pilot elected to land in a small field south of the airport, but the airplane struck trees, nosed over, and came to rest upside down. A postaccident test-run of the engine was performed. The engine operated normally above 1500 RPM to 2200 RPM, but it would not idle below 1500 RPM. The carburetor was removed from the engine and examined. The examination revealed water in the bowl, and dirt inside the carburetor.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,378 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,773 as pilot in command; 1,290 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,281 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 23, 1996; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOI at 11:00 pm
- Destination: VPS Eglin Afb FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 5,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.