# Accident 20181027024789A: Cessna 172G, Houston, TX, October 27, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 2018, 10:13 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: West Houston
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.8236° N, 95.6756° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8236&lon=-95.6756&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3973L (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN19LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA015) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181027024789A

## Narrative

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

ON SHORT FINAL THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON AT THE TIME.  HE THEN APPLIED THE HEAT AND THE ENGINE LOSS MORE POWER SO HE TURNED OFF THE HEAT.

THE PLANE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, SO THE PILOT LANDED IN A DITCH.

A REVIEW OF THE CARB ICING-PROBABILITY CHART, SHOWED THAT THE THERE WAS A SERIOUS ICING PROBABILITY AT ANY POWER SETTING, AT THE TIME AND THE LOSS OF POWER AFTER APPLYING CARB HEAT IS A INDICATION OF ALREADY HAVING CARB ICE AND THE PILOT SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE CARB HEAT ON, INSTEAD OF TURNING IT OFF.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN19LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA015), Oct 27, 2018: Cessna 172 (N3973L), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat while operating in an area conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on approach and subsequent forced landing into a…

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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