Aeronca S7EC N4349C accident near Jasper, Alabama

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.

NTSB analysis

The pilot fueled the airplane to capacity by adding about 5 gallons of aviation fuel to the tank, which had previously been serviced with non-ethanol automotive gasoline. The pilot and passenger then departed on the 25-nautical-mile flight to their destination airport. On final approach for landing, the engine became unresponsive to throttle inputs and subsequently lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a grass field about 600 ft short of the runway, during which the airplane impacted a ditch, resulting in substantial damage.

Subsequent maintenance conducted by the pilot’s mechanic revealed that the carburetor bowl contained an unidentified “milky white” substance. Given the lack of other anomalies, it is likely that the fuel contamination resulted in the loss of engine power. The source of the contamination could not be determined based on the available information.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA202 for the full record.