Cessna 180K N13159 accident near Columbus, Ohio

Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation resulting from sealant contamination in the wing.

NTSB analysis

The airplane was in cruise flight at 1,000 ft above ground level when the engine sputtered. As the pilot executed a 180° turn toward the airport, the engine lost all power. The pilot also reported that the radios lost power. The airplane impacted trees in a heavily wooded area short of the open field and sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage during the forced landing.

The airplane had undergone numerous modifications, including a change from bladder fuel tanks to integral fuel tanks in the wings. Four days before the accident, a mechanic had drained the left wing of fuel and resealed it with a sealant. The wing was then refueled, and leak checked. Postaccident examination showed sealant contamination in the left fuel tank, varying in size up to 1 inch. The sealant was not adhering to the inside of the wing tank. Although the fuel screens were found unobstructed, due to the size and number of the sealant pieces fuel flow from the left tank could likely have been obstructed, resulting in a loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA265 for the full record.