# Incident 19950218005509I: Cessna 172B, Marion, VA, February 18, 1995

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 1995, 09:20 local time
- Place: Marion, VA
- Airport: Mountain Empire Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.8948° N, 81.3499° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MOUNTAIN EMPIRE (MKJ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8948&lon=-81.3499&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8215X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8215X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172B (registry code 2072406, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172B
- Reported engine: CONT O300D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,200 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950218005509I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON FEBRUARY 18, 1995, MR. JEROME P. LAFOREST WAS PILOT IN COMMAND, AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF CESSNA 172, N8215X, ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM PONTIAC, MICHIGAN WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF MARION, VIRGINIA. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING THE DESCENT INTO MARION, N8215X, EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION THAT RESULTED IN A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. MR. LAFOREST REQUESTED AND RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM ATL ARTCC, BUT OVERSHOT THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE AIRPORT, MARION, VA ON HIS APPROACH. N8215X BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS A SHORT DISTANCE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OR EVEN MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. MR. LAFOREST ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD AND STRUCK A POWER LINE WITH THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, DOING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES RESULTED FROM THE LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ON N8215X REVEALED THAT #2 CYLINDER HAD FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. IT APPEARS THAT MR. LAFOREST HAS NO VALID MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, NO CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW, AND WAS NOT CURRENT FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES. THIS INCIDENT CLOSED WITH THIS REPORT.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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