# NTSB ATL05CA074: Cessna 172H, N1643F, Oakwood, GA, April 17, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 17, 2005, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Oakwood, GA - Coordinates: 34.276943, -83.833053 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2769&lon=-83.8331&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Atlanta FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61317 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61317/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA074 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - fuel system,carburetor - restricted (cause) - fuel system - contamination,other than water (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency landing - object - wire,transmission ## Analysis According to the pilot, after about 30-minutes of flight he felt a slight shudder in the engine which lasted for about three seconds. The engine did not lose any power and all instruments remained in the green. About 5-minutes later, with no indication or warning, the engine immediately stopped and the propeller wind milled. During the forced landing the airplane struck a power line, and landed hard on the main landing gear. Examination of the engine found the carburetor broken at its attach point on the intake manifold on the bottom of the engine. The carburetor was removed and disassembled. Examination of the carburetor float bowl found reddish/brown particles resting in the bottom of the float bowl. Additionally, flakes of the reddish/brown particles were found clogging the carburetor jet pickup. A replacement carburetor was installed on the engine and the engine was started and was run up to 1500 revolutions per minute. The engine ran for about five-minutes before being shutdown with the mixture control. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 2005, at 1600 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N1643F, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with a power line during a forced landing following a loss of engine power in Oakwood, Georgia. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot and passenger were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Dekalb, Georgia, on April 17, 2005 at 1400. According to the pilot, after about 30-minutes of flight he felt a slight shudder in the engine which lasted for about three seconds. The engine did not lose any power and all instruments remained in the green. About 5-minutes later, with no indication or warning, the engine immediately stopped and the propeller wind milled. He said that he was at about 2500 feet mean sea level (MSL) and had the airplane trimmed for cruise. He immediately identified a clearing and a road to land on and started trimming the airplane for best glide. He also applied carburetor heat, and cycled the magnetos. Engine restart procedures were unsuccessful. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing, the airplane struck a power line, and landed on the mains hard. After the airplane came to a complete stop he and his passenger exited the airplane uninjured and a passerby called 911. Examination of the airplane found a cut in the right wing from the leading edge to the main spar with signs of arching around the cut. The empennage was bent downward from the rear of the aft cabin, with the horizontal stabilizers resting on the ground. The airplane was recovered by Atlanta Air Recovery for further examination. On April 28, 2005, examination of the engine found the carburetor broken at its attach point on the intake manifold on the bottom of the engine. The carburetor was removed and disassembled. Examination of the carburetor float bowl found reddish/brown particles resting in the bottom of the float bowl. Additionally, flakes of the reddish/brown particles were found clogging the carburetor jet pickup. A replacement carburetor was installed on the engine and the engine was started and was run up to 1500 rpm. The engine ran for about five-minutes before being shutdown with the mixture control. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1643F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1643F-2017-07-20), registration cancelled 2017-07-20, S/N 17255038, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172H - Registry model: [Cessna 172H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (registry code 2072424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17255038 - Airframe hours: 6422.5 - Engines: Continental O300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ryan Funk - Registered owner: Ryan Funk and Steve Rohrer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 15, 2005, 3.2 hours before - Departed: PDK, Dekalb, GA - Destination: PDK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 25, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 201 total, 48 in this make and model, 201 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: GVL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050417008559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050417008559A), Apr 17, 2005: Cessna 172H, Oakwood, GA, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 17, 2005, at 1600 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N1643F, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collide with a power line while… 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. --- 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.