- Date
- April 12, 1990, 20:00 local (Apr 13, 1990, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Villa Rica, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7677TCessna 172A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900412063869A
- Case key
- 8229
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fuel starvation to the engine, initiated by the combination of a blocked fuel tank vent line and a malfunctioning fuel filler cap. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, in that he did not detect the fuel vent line blockage.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
As the pilot advanced the throttle during a go around attempt, the engine lost power. The airplane was force landed straight ahead and nosed over. An inspection of the airplane revealed that a wasp had built a mud nest on the left wing in the area of the fuel tank vent opening. The vent line was found to be obstructed by dirt. Also, the right fuel tank filler cap would not vent properly when tested. An inspection of the engine did not reveal any evidence of pre-existing malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7677T
- Reported as
- Cessna 172A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20461-D-5-C
- Engine
- Continental O-300-C, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Herrington, Mark W.
- Airport
- 20GA · Stockmar, runway 9, 5,100 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 178 total · 110 in this make and model · 123 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7677T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.