20150919015639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172E · Gettysburg, PA · September 19, 2015

Date: September 19, 2015 · 10:43 local
Place: Gettysburg, PA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3647S
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA363
Reported as: Cessna 172E
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1 in the last 90 days

N3647SRegistration cancelled Jan 17, 2019 · Cessna 172ES/N 17250847 · Built 1963 Airframe modelCessna 172E Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

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 departed private airstrip. Aircraft operated 1.2 hours since 2013. Airborne approx. 30 minutes. Aircraft at 3000'AGL, descended intentionally, without power reduction, to 1000' AGL to practice landings. At 1000' engine coughed once a quit. Restart attempt unsuccessful. Attempted to land in field, bounced and became airborne over trees approx. 20' high, bounced again, airborne again and struck trees. Pilot critically injured, passenger serious. Passenger is certified pilot, stated engine was rough on one magneto prior to takeoff. Pax did not know which mag was rough, engine smoothed after pilot switched back and forth between mags. NTSB on-scene determined clean fuel in strainer/gascolator, no contaminants observed. Spark plug condition good, and spark at all magnetor towers (both mags).

Block 18, pbe not utilized as biohazard area was not accessed.

10/28/2015 Pilot succumbed to injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. AIRCRAFT OPERATED 1.2 HOURS SINCE 2013. AIRBORNE APPROX. 30 MINUTES. AIRCRAFT AT 3000'AGL, DESCENDED INTENTIONALLY, WITHOUT POWER REDUCTION, TO 1000' AGL TO PRACTICE LANDINGS. AT 1000' ENGINE COUGHED ONCE A QUIT. RESTART ATTEMPT UNSUCCESSFUL. ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN FIELD, BOUNCED AND BECAME AIRBORNE OVER TREES APPROX. 20' HIGH, BOUNCED AGAIN, AIRBORNE AGAIN AND STRUCK TREES. PILOT CRITICALLY INJURED, PASSENGER SERIOUS. PASSENGER IS CERTIFIED PILOT, STATED ENGINE WAS ROUGH ON ONE MAGNETO PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. PAX DID NOT KNOW WHICH MAG WAS ROUGH, ENGINE SMOOTHED AFTER PILOT SWITCHED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MAGS. NTSB ON-SCENE DETERMINED CLEAN FUEL IN STRAINER/GASCOLATOR, NO CONTAMINANTS OBSERVED. SPARK PLUG CONDITION GOOD, AND SPARK AT ALL MAGNETOR TOWERS (BOTH MAGS).

BLOCK 18, PBE NOT UTILIZED AS BIOHAZARD AREA WAS NOT ACCESSED.

10/28/2015 PILOT SUCCUMBED TO INJURIES.

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 ERA15LA363Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGettysburg, PAThe total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach speed during the forced landing, which resulted in impact with trees.Sep 19, 2015 · Substantial damage