19970706017059A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Wildwood, NJ · July 6, 1997

Date: July 6, 1997 · 19:30 local
Place: Wildwood, NJ
Airport: Cape May County Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N97011
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC97LA136
Reported as: Cessna 172P
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 192 total115 in this make and model28 in the last 90 days

N97011Registration cancelled Nov 7, 1997 · Cessna 172PS/N 17276145 Airframe modelCessna 172P

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft on final approach to runway, when rpms dropped off. Landed short in a nearby body of water. (.4) after a 1 hour cruise flight, the pilot established a straight in approach to the landing runway. The pilot set the flaps to 10 degrees, the carburetor heat on, and noticed he was 'slightly low for landing.' He then increased the throttle, but there was no increase in power. According to the pilot at this point he checked that the primer was in and the mixture was full rich. The pilot added that he realized he was not going to make the runway, so he started to look for an alternate landing area. The airplane then struck a tree, and came to rest in a pond. Fuel was found in the wing tanks, and a post accident run of the engine was satisfactory. A carburetor icing chart revealed the conditions were conducive for moderate icing for cruise power, and serious icing for glide power.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY, WHEN RPMS DROPPED OFF. LANDED SHORT IN A NEARBY BODY OF WATER. (.4) AFTER A 1 HOUR CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE PILOT SET THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES, THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON, AND NOTICED HE WAS 'SLIGHTLY LOW FOR LANDING.' HE THEN INCREASED THE THROTTLE, BUT THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN POWER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AT THIS POINT HE CHECKED THAT THE PRIMER WAS IN AND THE MIXTURE WAS FULL RICH. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY, SO HE STARTED TO LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A TREE, AND CAME TO REST IN A POND. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE WING TANKS, AND A POST ACCIDENT RUN OF THE ENGINE WAS SATISFACTORY. A CARBURETOR ICING CHART REVEALED THE CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR MODERATE ICING FOR CRUISE POWER, AND SERIOUS ICING FOR GLIDE POWER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC97LA136Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWildwood, NJThe pilot's inadequate use of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing.Jul 6, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N97011 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19931216051049ITo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · Caldwell, NJPilot struck a deer on takeoff roll. Aborted. Taxied back to ramp.Dec 16, 1993 · Minor damage