# Accident 20230515006129A: Cessna 172D, Chambers, NE, May 15, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 15, 2023, 21:30 local time - Place: Chambers, NE - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.2412° N, 98.6235° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2412&lon=-98.6235&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2946U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2946U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172D (registry code 2072410, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172d) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172D - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 20 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA187) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230515006129A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. EVIDENCE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRPLANE IMPACTING TERRAIN IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT WAS IDENTIFIED BY GROUND SCAR IMPRESSIONS OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT AND BOTH MAIN GEAR WHEELS. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ABOUT 152FT FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CONSISTED OF THE COCKPIT, WINGS AND THE EMPENNAGE. BOTH WINGS REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME. THE LEFT WING WAS BENT DOWNWARD ABOUT MIDSPAN. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY WERE SEPARATED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED THE STRUT AND FOUND BETWEEN THE FIRST IMPACT AND THE MAIN WRECKAGE. CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE ALTIMETER READ ABOUT 750 FT MSL. 29.47 INHG WAS FOUND SET IN THE KOLLSMAN WINDOW. ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 2053 FT MSL. THE CLOSEST REPORTING FACILITY (ONL) METAR REPORTED AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.42 INHG ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. FLIGHT CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES TO THE CONTROLS IN THE COCKPIT. BOTH CONTROL YOKES WERE SEPARATED DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THE FUEL STRAINER WAS IMPACT DAMAGED, AND THE GLASS BOWL WAS NOT LOCATED. THE CABIN FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS IMPACT SEPARATED FROM THE VALVE AND WAS FREE TO MOVE BY HAND. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS REMOVED, EXAMINED AND OBSERVED IN THE “BOTH” POSITION. A BLUE LIQUID CONSISTENT IN COLOR AND ODOR TO THAT OF AVIATION TYPE GASOLINE WAS OBSERVED WITHIN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE. FUEL WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK FEEDER LINES. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS OBTAINED AND TESTED FOR WATER USING WATER FINDING PASTE WITH A NEGATIVE RESULT. NO PRE-IMPACT ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE. ROTATION CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE ENGINE CRANK TO THE ACCESSORY CASE. THE PROPELLER FLANGE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT AND EXHIBITED FORWARD TORSIONAL DEFORMATION CONSISTENT WITH ENGINE ROTATION AT IMPACT. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER WAS CONSISTENT WITH ROTATION AT IMPACT. THE ENGINE WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND LOCATED NEAR THE MAIN WRECKAGE. IMPACT DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE ENGINE. THE TUBULAR ENGINE MOUNT WAS FRAGMENTED. FORWARD DEFORMATION WAS NOTED TO THE FRACTURE SURFACES OF THE CRANKSHAFT PROPELLER FLANGE. THE SIX TOP SPARKPLUGS WERE REMOVED, AND THEIR ELECTRODES WERE UNREMARKABLE. CRANKSHAFT CONTINUITY TO THE REAR GEARS, AND COMPRESSION AND SUCTION WAS ATTAINED FROM ALL SIX CYLINDERS DURING HAND ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT. OIL WAS OBSERVED IN THE ENGINE SUMP DURING EXAMINATION, AND NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE FROM OIL STARVATION OR LACK OF OIL WAS OBSERVED. THE OIL FILTER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE. THE DATE DISPLAYED ON THE FILTER WAS 07/12/2020 WITH A TACH TIME OF 248.0. THE FILTER WAS CUT OPEN AND RESIDUAL NONFERROUS MATERIAL WAS OBSERVED WITHIN THE OIL FILTER MEDIA. BOTH MAGNETOS REMAINED ATTACHED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE MOUNTING LOCATIONS. UPON REMOVAL, BOTH MAGNETOS PRODUCED SPARK FROM ALL IGNITION TOWERS DURING HAND ROTATION OF THEIR ATTACHED DRIVE GEARS. THE CARBURETOR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE FROM IMPACT FORCES. THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CABLES WERE IMPACT SEPARATED FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE ATTACH POINTS. THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS WERE FOUND IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION, OPEN AND FULL RICH RESPECTIVELY IN THE CABIN. THE FUEL INLET SCREEN CONTAINED A RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF AN UNKNOWN ORGANIC MATERIAL. UPON DISASSEMBLY, THE CARBURETOR’S FLOATS WERE UNREMARKABLE, AND NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED WITHIN ITS BOWL. THE INDUCTION AIR FILTER WAS CRUSHED, AND THE AIRBOX WAS DESTROYED FROM IMPACT FORCES. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL IN THE CABIN WAS FORWARD/OFF. HOWEVER, IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE AIRBOX PRECLUDED VERIFICATION OF PRE-ACCIDENT POSITION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT. IMPACT DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. NO CARBON TRACKING WAS NOTED TO EITHER HEAT MUFF. NO RESTRICTIONS WERE OBSERVED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE MCCAULEY 2 BLADED FIXED PITCH PROPELLER WAS IMPACT SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. ## 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 CEN23FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA187), May 15, 2023: Cessna 172 (N2946U), Chambers, NE, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions at night and his failure to maintain adequate altitude, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.